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Use this key word glossary to check the definitions of the key words you will be meeting during this topic

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Biology has endless career opportunities. Have a look at the attached resource for some inspiration.

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Ever wondered why Cell biology was so important?
Read this article to find out why and be sure to think about the reflection questions at the end

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Have you ever been ill? Even if it was a 'tummy bug' it will have been your cells that were affected by the poisonous chemicals or toxins from bacteria cells in the bad food.

You may know of someone who has been ill with a disease or disorder such as meningitis, malaria, diabetes, a type of cancer, cystic fibrosis, or Alzheimer's disease. All these diseases and disorders are caused by problems at a cell or molecular level. Physical damage such as a burn or broken bone also causes damage at cell level.

By understanding how cells work in healthy and diseased states, cell biologists working in animal, plant and medical science will be able to develop new vaccines, more effective medicines, plants with improved qualities and through increased knowledge a better understanding of how all living things live.

Eventually it will be possible to produce a 'health forecast' by analysing your database of genetic and cell information. Using this you will be able to take more control over your health in a preventive way.

But cell biology is not just about disease. It has greatly assisted the human fertility programme. DNA testing has been used in archaeology to provide evidence that a living person is related to a long dead ancestor.

In plant science it has been used to show that two plants that look different have the same genetic origins.

Forensic medicine uses cell biology and DNA fingerprinting to help solve murders and assaults. Neither the courts of law nor the criminals can escape the importance of cell biology.

Biotechnology uses techniques and information from cell biology to genetically modify crops to produce alternative characteristics; to clone plants and animals; to produce and ensure high quality food is available at lower costs; to produce purer medicines and in time organs for the many people who need transplants.
Cell biology is about all this and can make an exciting career.

It is also important that everyone feels informed about how the increase in knowledge about cell biology could affect him or her and society in general. Society will have to make informed decisions about such things as growing organs for transplanting into humans and, in those areas where vitamin 'A' deficiency causes blindness, growing rice modified to produce the vitamin.

A basic understanding of cell biology including genetics will be as important as having some knowledge about computers and the Internet.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
If you needed a kidney transplant and no donated human organ were available, would you refuse to have one from a pig specially developed to provide organs for humans?

You are a rice farmer and a parent. You know that each year more than one million children die and another 124 million are made more susceptible to measles and diarrhoea due to shortage of vitamin A. You have heard about a new strain of genetically modified rice producing vitamin A is available. Would you grow it and let your family eat it?

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Have you ever been ill? Even if it was a 'tummy bug' it will have been your cells that were affected by the poisonous chemicals or toxins from bacteria cells in the bad food. You may know of someone who has been ill with a disease or disorder such as meningitis, malaria, diabetes, a type of cancer, cystic fibrosis, or Alzheimer's disease.

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Can you make a model of a cell?
Remember to bring it in or a picture of it to show off to your science teacher.

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It doesn't matter where you go to school - home, public, or private - at some point you're going to study cells. When you do, chances are your curriculum is going to encourage you to build a cell model. If it doesn't, do it anyway because it's lots of fun!

There are lots of different ways to build a model of a cell - plant or animal - but these are ten of the best, most awesome ways to make a cell model. Some are edible, some are not, but they're all super cool.

1. Cell Cake

This cell cake is a super fun way to study cells! After all, studying cells is much more interesting when it's delicious!

2. Jell-O Cell

We made a Jell-O cell model many, many moons ago. It was not very pretty or particularly appetizing because we used what we had on hand. My best tip for a Jell-O cell? Use foods like fruits, marshmallows, and nuts as the organelles so that you'll actually want to eat it when you're finished. This one from 123 Homeschool 4 Me is much prettier and more appetizing than the one we made.
photo credit 123 homeschool 4 me
3. Cookie Cell

Another tasty edible cell model option is a cookie cell model. Start with a large chocolate chip cookie (made in a pizza pan for an animal cell or in a jellyroll pan for a plant cell). Then use candies for the organelles or shape them out of fondant.
photo credit Stephanie Harrington
4. Pizza Cell

You can't go wrong with pizza, either. You make a regular pizza cell model or a fruit pizza cell model - or one of each and you'd have lunch and dessert!
photo credit proverbial homemaker
5. 3D Cell Model

This 3D animal cell made from Styrofoam is fantastic! If edible projects aren't your thing or you just want something more permanent, this is perfect. (NOTE: The Crafts N Coffee site is no longer active, but I thought you could still use this picture as a guide if you'd like to make your own styrofoam cell model! Or you can look at the next article about how to make a cell model from styrofoam and clay.)
photo credit crafts n coffee
6. Clay Cell

A clay cell model is another more permanent option. This one from Hip Homeschool Moms is fantastic!
photo credit Stephanie Harrington
7. Sandwich Cell

If you're looking for a simple edible option, try this sandwich cell idea. You could use a large round biscuit or cookie cutter for an animal cell.
photo credit adventures in mommydom
8. Shrinky Dinks Cell

Because my children used to love Shrinky Dinks, this Shrinky Dink cell idea is one of my favorites! I wish I'd found it when my kiddos were younger. The link includes a tutorial for both a plant cell and an animal cell.
photo credit Teacher Thrive
9. Lego Cell

If you've got a Lego lover, a Lego cell model is the perfect fit! My son definitely would have loved this one!
photo credit homegrown learners
10. Rice Krispies Treat Cell

Finally, for one last tasty edible cell model idea, try this Rice Krispies treat cell. Yum!
photo credit blessings overflowing
11. Spielgaban Cell Model

We couldn't resist adding one more.... because it is a 3D Model using Spielgaban educational set.

Bonus!

Add these printables to your study:
Have you made a cell model that I haven't included here? Leave your idea in the comments!
Pin this post so you can find it when you get ready to make cell models!

You Might Also Like

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10+ Awesome Ways to Make a Cell Model - Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

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It doesn't matter where you go to school - home, public, or private - at some point you're going to study cells. When you do, chances are your curriculum is going to encourage you to build a cell model. If it doesn't, do it anyway because it's lots of fun!

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Use these 2 glossaries to check definitions during this topic

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There are many careers out there that require a knowledge of energy. A few can be found in the links below.

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Whether you're interested in the oil and gas industry, renewable energy or nuclear power, a graduate career in energy and utilities puts you at the heart of one of the UK's most important and innovative job sectors, in roles ranging from engineering to consultancy.

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Whether you're interested in the oil and gas industry, renewable energy or nuclear power, a graduate career in energy and utilities puts you at the heart of one of the UK's most important and innovative job sectors, in roles ranging from engineering to consultancy.

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Not everyone in the world has the easy assess to energy that we have. Click on the link below to find out ways energy is being delivered across Africa in a sustainable way.

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Energy 4 Impact has joined forces with the Modern Energy Cooking Services Programme (MECS) to launch Clean Cooking: Scaling Up with Crowdfunding, the first report in a series that examines financing...

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Energy 4 Impact has joined forces with the Modern Energy Cooking Services Programme (MECS) to launch Clean Cooking: Scaling Up with Crowdfunding, the first report in a series that examines financing...

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Energy is essential to life and all living organisms. The sun, directly or indirectly, is the source of all the energy available on Earth. Our energy choices and decisions impact Earth's natural systems in ways we may not be aware of, so it is essential that we choose our energy sources carefully.

Describe ways that YOU can cut your energy demands.

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Energy is essential to life and all living organisms. The sun, directly or indirectly, is the source of all the energy available on Earth. Our energy choices and decisions impact Earth's natural systems in ways we may not be aware of, so it is essential that we choose our energy sources carefully.

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Can you make revision resource to help Ms Phillips understand the structure of the cell which you have been learning about

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Do you respect your community and the environment? If so you may want to learn more about why its important not to waste energy.

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Young People's Trust For the Environment

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Types of Energy

Energy is invisible yet it's all around us and throughout the universe. We use it every day, we have it in our bodies and some of it comes from other planets! Energy can never be made or destroyed, but its form can be converted and changed. For example, the chemical energy we get from our food turns into kinetic and thermal energy (see below) when we walk and sound energy when we shout. Here's a great video by scientists showing the many ways that energy can be transferred and converted.

The following chapters describe the various forms energy can take and the story behind humans, energy, fuel and the environment.

Types of energy

First let's take a look at the different forms energy can take and how they can be converted.

Kinetic - Anything that moves has this kind of energy. To run, cycle, climb and move the mouse for a computer we use kinetic energy.

Radiant - Radiant energy means light. Examples of things that have radiant energy are the Sun, lightbulbs and our computer screens. Plants convert light energy into chemical energy (food) which helps them to grown, this is known as photosynthesis.

Sound - The louder we shout the more sound energy we are using. Apart from our voices there are plenty of other examples of sound energies - guitars have sound energy when plucked using kinetic energy. So do the brakes on our bikes when we're traveling fast.

Thermal - If you've ever worn thermal underwear you might guess that thermal energy is about heat! The sun gives off thermal energy, as do radiators and fires. Even lightbulbs when they've been on for a long time - ouch!

Elastic - Stretch a rubber band, or pull back the elastic on a slingshot and you'll have elastic energy. This kind of energy is known as 'potential energy' as it can be stored until it's released - usually giving way to kinetic energy!

Gravitational - Ever fallen out of a tree? Then you were a victim of gravitational energy. Gravitational energy is the force which keeps us on the ground. Gravitational energy is why cycling downhill is faster than cycling up hill and why ski jumpers always come back to earth.

Chemical - Chemical energies come in many different forms. We get chemical energy from foods, which we use to run about, and move and talk (kinetic and sound energy). Chemical energies are stored in fuels which we burn to release thermal energy - this is one way of making electricity, see Electricity for more information.

Nuclear - Nuclear energy is the energy stored inside tiny atoms. Atoms are invisible and make up the elements of the whole universe! There are three parts to these tiny particles which are - protons, electrons and neutrons. Nuclear energy is released when atoms are joined together (fusion) or split apart (fission). Doing this converts energy into thermal and radiant energy. The Sun uses nuclear energy to produce its light and heat.

Converting Energy
When we go for a run we are using chemical energy in our bodies to produce movement (kinetic energy), which in turn converts to warmth (thermal energy). Cycling downhill involves kinetic and gravitational energy. The friction between the tyres and the road will also cause the tyres to warm up a little producing thermal energy. What form will some of this energy take when putting on the brakes?

Read More: Fuel For Humans

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Energy is invisible yet it's all around us and throughout the universe. We use it every day, we have it in our bodies and some of it comes from other planets! Energy can never be made or destroyed, but its form can be converted and changed.

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Use this key word glossary to check the definitions of the key words you will be meeting during this topic

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Explore the careers in the NHS looking at the digestive system

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Gastrointestinal physiology concerns any part of the digestive tract from the oesophagus to the anus and also of the liver, biliary tract and the pancreas.

As a healthcare scientist working in gastrointestinal (GI) physiology, you'll specialise in the study of GI function and disease.

Working life

You'll use various highly technical, mechanical and electronic instruments to measure various parameters within the digestive tract.

You'll use various highly technical, mechanical and electronic instruments to measure various parameters within the digestive tract

Working in GI physiology the parameters you'll be measuring will include:

You might also:

use ultrasound of the anal canal and rectum

undertake 'biofeedback' therapy with patients who have pelvic floor dysfunction

treat patients with faecal and urinary incontinence using percutaneous tibial nerve neuromodulation (PTNS)

The results of all of these investigations will contribute to the care pathway of patients who may have primary swallowing disorders, severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or disorders of the gut function, notably faecal incontinence or constipation or both.

Depending on the diagnosis of these tests and measurements, patients will then be offered appropriate treatment which might include medication or surgery.

Who will I work with?

You're likely to work in a team that includes gastroenterologists (doctors specialising in gastroenterology), colorectal surgeons, dietitians and specialist nurses.

Want to learn more?

Pay and conditions

Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers. Trainee clinical scientists train at band 6 level, and qualified clinical scientists are generally appointed at band 7. With experience and further qualifications, including Higher Specialist Scientist Training, you could apply for posts up to band 9.

Staff will usually work a standard 37.5 hours per week. They may work a shift pattern.

Terms and conditions of service can vary for employers outside the NHS.

Where the role can lead

With further training or experience or both, you may be able to develop your career further and apply for vacancies in areas such as further specialisation, management, research, or teaching.

Healthcare science staff often work at the forefront of research and innovation, so that patients are continually receiving the very best healthcare. For example, in gastrointestinal physiology, you might be researching symptoms and causes of different types of reflux amongst patients.

Job market and vacancies

Job market
In November 2018, there were 6,123 clinical scientists registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

The NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) and Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) attract many more applicants than there are places and so there is considerable competition for places.
Finding and applying for jobs
When you're looking for job or apprenticeship vacancies, there are a number of sources you can use, depending on the type of work you're seeking.

Check vacancies carefully to be sure you can meet the requirements of the person specification before applying and to find out what the application process is. You may need to apply online or send a CV for example.

For the STP and HSST, there is an annual recruitment cycle and applications should be made through the National School of Healthcare Science's website, where you can also find information about the programmes and the recruitment process.

Vacancies in organisations delivering NHS healthcare can be found on the NHS Jobs website.

You may also find suitable vacancies in the health sector by contacting local employers directly and by searching in local newspapers.

Find out more about applications and interviews.

Volunteering is an excellent way of gaining experience (especially if you don't have enough for a specific paid job you're interested in) and also seeing whether you're suited to a particular type of work. It's also a great way to boost your confidence and you can give something back to the community.

Find out more about volunteering and gaining experience.

Further information

For further information about a career in gastrointestinal physiology, please contact:

Other roles that may interest you

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Gastrointestinal physiology concerns any part of the digestive tract from the oesophagus to the anus and also of the liver, biliary tract and the pancreas. As a healthcare scientist working in gastrointestinal (GI) physiology, you'll specialise in the study of GI function and disease.

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Tapeworms are a type of parasite that live in the intestines and feed off nutrients. Whilst these infections are very uncommon here in other parts of the world they are very dangerous and common. Read about them here and how they can be prevented.

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Taeniasis is an intestinal infection caused by 3 species of tapeworm: Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), Taenia saginata(beef tapeworm) and Taenia asiatica.

Humans can become infected with T. saginata or T. asiatica when they consume infected beef meat or pig liver tissue, respectively, which has not been adequately cooked, but taeniasis due to T. saginata or T. asiatica has no major impact on human health. Therefore, this fact sheet refers to the transmission and health impacts of T. solium only.

Infection with the T. solium tapeworm occurs when a person eats raw or undercooked, infected pork. Infection with the tapeworm causes few clinical symptoms. Tapeworm eggs passed in the faeces with the tapeworm carrier are infective for pigs. T. solium eggs may also infect humans if they are ingested by a person (via the fecal-oral route, or by ingesting contaminated food or water), causing infection with the larval parasite in the tissues (human cysticercosis).

Human cysticercosis can result in devastating effects on human health. The larvae (cysticerci) may develop in the muscles, skin, eyes and the central nervous system. When cysts develop in the brain, the condition is referred to as neurocysticercosis. Symptoms include severe headache, blindness, convulsions and epileptic seizures, and can be fatal.

Neurocysticercosis is the most frequent preventable cause of epilepsy worldwide, and is estimated to cause 30% of all epilepsy cases in countries where the parasite is endemic. In specific communities the association between neurocysticercosis and epilepsy can be up to 70%. In poor remote settings where the disease is present, epilepsy is difficult to diagnose and treat, and causes major stigma, especially in girls and women (where it is commonly associated to witchcraft).

Cysticercosis mainly affects the health and livelihoods of subsistence farming communities in developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. It also reduces the market value of pigs, and makes pork unsafe to eat. In 2015, the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group identified T. solium as a leading cause of deaths from food-borne diseases, resulting in a considerable total of 2.8 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). The total number of people suffering from neurocysticercosis, including symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, is estimated to be between 2.56-8.30 million, based on the range of epilepsy prevalence data available. Although 70% of patients with epilepsy could lead a normal life if treated correctly, poverty, ignorance of the disease, inadequate infrastructure in health or lack of access to medication, cause 75% people with this condition to be treated poorly, if treated at all.

Symptoms

Taeniasis due to T. solium, T. saginata or T. asiatica is usually characterized by mild and non-specific symptoms. Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation may arise when the tapeworms become fully developed in the intestine, approximately 8 weeks after ingestion of meat containing cysticerci.

These symptoms may continue until the tapeworm dies following treatment, otherwise it may live for a number of years. It is considered that untreated infections with T. solium tapeworms generally persist for 2-3 years.

In the case of cysticercosis due to T. solium, the incubation period prior to the appearance of clinical symptoms is variable, and infected people may remain asymptomatic for many years.

In some endemic regions (particularly in Asia), infected people may develop visible or palpable nodules (a small solid bump or node that can be detected by touch) beneath the skin (subcutaneous). Neurocysticercosis is associated with a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the number, size, stage, and location of the pathological changes as well as the host's immune response, but can also be clinically asymptomatic. Symptoms may include chronic headaches, blindness, seizures (epilepsy if they are recurrent), hydrocephalus, meningitis, dementia, and symptoms caused by lesions occupying spaces of the central nervous system.

Treatment

The treatment of taeniasis by Taenia solium is important to prevent neurocysticercosis and as a tool to assist in controlling or stopping the parasite transmission cycle. The treatment can be done on an individual bases, or as preventive chemotherapy depending on the local circumstances and the control approaches being implemented. Taenaisis can be treated with single doses of praziquantel (10 mg/kg) or niclosamide (adults and children over 6 years: 2 g, children aged 2-6 years: 1 g). Albendazole at 400 g for 3 consecutive days has also been used.

In neurocysticercosis, since the destruction of cysts may lead to an inflammatory response, specialised treatment of active disease is required and may include long courses with high doses of praziquantel and/or albendazole, as well as supporting therapy with corticosteroids and/or anti-epileptic drugs, and possibly surgery. The dosage and the duration of treatment can vary greatly and depend mainly on the number, size, location and developmental stage of the cysts, their surrounding inflammatory edema, acuteness and severity of clinical symptoms or signs.

Prevention and control

To prevent, control and possibly eliminate T. solium, proper public health interventions with an approach spanning veterinary, human health and environmental sectors are required.

Reliable epidemiological data on the geographical distribution of T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in people and pigs remains scarce.

Appropriate surveillance mechanisms should enable new cases of human or porcine cysticercosis to be recorded in order to help identify communities at high risk and focus prevention and control measures in these areas.

There are several interventions for the control of T. solium that can be used in different combinations. In a meeting of experts in 2009, they were identified as:

Core "rapid impact" interventions:

treatment of human taeniasis;

intervention in pigs (vaccination plus anthelmintic treatment);

Supporting measures:

community health education, including hygiene and food safety;

improved sanitation - ending open defecation;

Measures requiring more fundamental societal changes:

improved pig husbandry - no free-roaming pigs; and

improved meat inspection and processing of meat products.

There are several mathematical models that determine the probability of success of the different strategies' combinations and the implementation period required to achieved sustained control, but they are still based in many assumptions and unknowns. However, they usually coincide in that integrated One-Health interventions, are the ones more likely to achieve a faster sustainable control.

WHO's response

Promoting better clinical management of neurocysticercosis

Epilepsy is one of the most common clinical signs in patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC). WHO recognises that people with epilepsy frequently suffer stigmatization and discrimination. WHO urges the Member States to support the establishment and implementation of strategies for the management of epilepsy, and promote actions to prevent the causes of epilepsy (Resolution WHA 68.20 of 2015).

In this context, clinical management of patients with NCC to prevent and manage epilepsy is an essential component, and the countries are requesting clear guidance to improve case detection and management of neurocysticercosis. WHO has conducted a landscape analysis on the management of neurocysticercosis with an emphasis on low-and middle income countries and is finalising the WHO management guidelines for Taenia solium NCC.

Providing guidance for improved diagnostics and supporting countries diagnostic capacity

Improved, simple, cost-effective diagnostic tools for Taenia solium are still needed:

A point-of-care test for the diagnosis of human cysticercosis is required, especially a test able to be used in symptomatic patients in remote areas in order to detect those with viable cysts who need to be referred for imaging and further management.

Better test for the diagnosis of taeniasis by T. solium are also needed. Current test lack sensitivity and/or specificity, are not commercially available, are expensive or have not been adequately validated.

Detection of porcine cysticercosis can also be extremely useful, as the prevalence of the disease is higher in pigs than humans (reducing the required sample size for surveillance). It provides a valuable alternative to sampling humans for confirmation of endemic areas and for monitoring and evaluation of control programs to be confirmed by necropsy.

WHO has been facilitating the development of diagnostic tools, and in December 2015, a stakeholder meeting on T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis diagnostic tools was held at WHO headquarters to address the lack of a suitable diagnostic toolbox and identify priorities. Following this, WHO developed Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis, taeniasis and porcine cysticercosis. TPPs are process tools that provide product requirements to guide researchers, developers and manufacturers in their efforts to develop effective diagnostics based on the needs of the different stakeholders. After drafting the different TPPs, a consultation was held with global stakeholders, and the TPPs were published in 2017.

Faecal screening tests such as Kato-Katz that are used for other diseases (e.g. soil-transmitted helminths), can also be used to identify Taenia eggs and hence areas in which the parasite may be endemic. WHO is supporting countries such as Cambodia to increase their testing capacity using Kato-Katz.

Supporting countries in their cysticercosis control efforts

WHO has been asked by countries affected with cysticercosis, to support efforts in order to control the disease.
Donation of taenicides
An important component of the control strategy is the treatment of patients who harbor the T. solium tapeworm. This is most often undertaken by implementing preventive chemotherapy (mass drug administration or MDA) to reach all the eligible population. The most effective drugs at a single dose are praziquantel or niclosamide. However, until now, these drugs were not easily available in many countries that wished to control the disease. Under the umbrella of universal health coverage, and with the aim of providing access to quality medicines, WHO has negotiated with Bayer the donation of these two drugs and they are now available for the control of T. solium through the WHO.
Guidance on the use of taenicides for preventive chemotherapy
To accompany the donation of taenicides, a PAHO/WHO Guideline for preventive chemotherapy for the control of Taenia solium taeniasis, will be published in the first half of 2021.
Supporting the validation of control programs
To meet the need for clear guidance on a step-wise approach for the development of control programmes, WHO with countries and key partners have taken steps towards identifying a validated strategy to interrupt transmission of T. solium. Several countries are mounting pilot programmes while conducting operational research to measure impact and refine strategies.

WHO has supported a 3-year pilot project in Madagascar where cysticercosis is endemic as conditions are very favorable for the transmission of the parasite. A preventive chemotherapy for taeniasis was implemented in Antanifotsy district for 3 consecutive years, and is continuing to support further one-health integrated projects in the country to achieve a sustained control.

In the Americas, PAHO has released a manual on the "Practical considerations for the control of taeniasis and cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium - contribution to the control of T. solium in Latin America and the Caribbean
Identification of endemic areas (mapping)
Cysticercosis is a focal disease, affecting the poorest communities in which basic sanitation is deficient and pigs roam free. One of the first steps to control the disease is to identify those communities or endemic areas where control measures need to be implemented. WHO has developed a mapping protocol which includes an Excel mapping tool, to evaluate the level of risk and assist the countries in identify high risk areas for endemicity to T. solium (that is the areas where there is active transmission of the parasite), WHO has also assisted countries such as Cambodia in training of diagnostic techniques that can be used for mapping.

Strengthening prevention and control through a One-Health approach

The transmission cycle of T. solium involves pigs as intermediate hosts. Infected pigs look normal, and infected animals suffer little, if any productive loss. Heavily infected pigs may have cysts in their tongues, but the farmers may not notice them. Porcine cysticercosis is not a production disease of pigs, and farmers in these poor communities where the disease is transmitted often do not have the understanding or the incentive to control the disease.

As part of an integrated control strategy to break the transmission cycle of the parasite it is important to implement control measures in pigs. Several mathematical control models have shown that interventions in pigs can greatly accelerate achieving human health benefits. WHO is continuing to support the implementation of a One-Health approach in countries, including Madagascar.
Advocating a multi-sectorial approach with key partners
WHO is working closely with partner agencies such as the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (known as the Tripartite) to promote animal interventions and meet the needs for interdisciplinary collaboration to control T. solium, with the final goal to prevent human suffering due to neurocysticercosis. More countries are interested in joining the WHO network for the control of taeniasis/cysticercosis. Tri-partite joint meetings have been organised to promote concerted actions between the different sectors, such as the meeting to accelerate prevention and control of neglected foodborne parasitic zoonoses in Asian countries held in Lao PDR in 2018. Additionally, a series of communications and guidance publications targeting different sectors, namely public health practitioners, food safety authorities and veterinary practitioners have been produced by the Tripartite in Asia.
Promoting pig interventions
Specific control measures in the pig population include the vaccination of pigs with the TSOL18 vaccine and the treatment with oxfendazole. Vaccination prevents the pigs getting infected; oxfendazole cures the pigs already infected at the time of vaccination, and both can be given simultaneously.

Working with veterinary authorities as well as key partners in the animal sector, WHO is supporting pilot projects incorporating pig interventions, essential to attain long-term outcomes.

Improving data on T. solium and identifying endemic and high-risk areas

Robust surveillance data is fundamental to assess disease burden, take action and to evaluate progress of control actions. As for other neglected diseases which occur in underserved populations and remote areas, data is especially scarce. WHO is active in counters this situation by collecting and mapping data on T. solium distribution and risk factors associated with the occurrence of the parasite, such as like information on pig keeping, food safety and sanitation. This information has been incorporated into the WHO Global Health Observatory. WHO is also working on developing a protocol to better map the disease and identify the endemic and high-risk areas within countries. This protocol is now being validated in several countries.

Indicators are specific variables that assist with data analysis and provide tools for health authorities and people involved in disease control. WHO has defined a new set of indicators at country and global level for T. solium and is developing reporting systems to guide and assist the countries on data collection and reporting.

At global level, the indicators are 1- Number of endemic countries for T. solium, and 2- Number of countries with intensified control in hyper endemic areas for T. solium. Intensified control means implementation of any core "rapid impact" interventions.

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Taeniasis is an intestinal infection caused by 3 species of tapeworm: Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), Taenia saginata(beef tapeworm) and Taenia asiatica. Humans can become infected with T. saginata or T. asiatica when they consume infected beef meat or pig liver tissue, respectively, which has not been adequately cooked, but taeniasis due to T.

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Modelling the digestive system with tights? This is something you can do at home to help to model the digestive system. Use this link to help you and remember to take pictures or videos to show to your teacher for CREATE points.

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The clear plastic bag represents the stomach which is a large muscular sac that contains hydrochloric acid , it is able to churn the food, mixing it with the acid so that it can be broken down into even smaller molecules.

The food is then poured into the tights, this represents the small intestine inside the body. This is where the nutrients from the food we have eaten is absorbed.

The small intestine is well adapted for digestion: it has thin walls, making it easy for food molecules to pass through into the blood stream.

The last stage of digestion involves the large intestine that absorbs water and any remaining nutrients from the small intestine. Once this has been done the waste products are then excreted from the body as faeces.

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Find out how to make a model of the digestion system using household items.

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Are you up for the challenge of tackling a GCSE level exam question?

Have a go and remember to share your answers with your teacher.

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Use this key word glossary to check the definitions of the key words you will be meeting during this topic

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Chromatography is used in a range of professions, read about them here.

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Although you might not be familiar with Chromatography, it has an impact on your everyday life.

Chromatography is a technique used to separate the components of a substance to find out what it is composed of and its use affects everything from what you eat to how you fight disease. There are many different types of chromatography and we'll show you 5 ways it can play a part in your day-to-day activities.

Why use a gas generator in your lab

1. Creating vaccinations

Chromatography is useful in determining which antibodies fight various diseases and viruses. Scientists used Chromatography in the fight against the Ebola virus, responsible for over 11,000 deaths, to develop the experimental immunization Zmapp. The process was used to find out which antibodies are the most effective at neutralizing the deadly virus.

2. Food testing

The 2013 horsemeat scandal, in which horsemeat passed off by vendors as beef came to light, highlighted the ineffectiveness of traditional food analysis methods and positioned chromatography as the frontrunner in determining the contents of processed meat. The traditional methods of analysis were effective at determining the composition of raw samples but inconclusive when analyzing processed meats so a more precise method was called for. High performance liquid chromatography, combined with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was then successfully used to find out if meat that had been labelled as beef was beef, horse or a mix of these and various other ingredients.

3. Beverage testing

Food isn't the only thing you consume which has been tested using chromatography. Many drinks manufacturers use this technique to ensure each bottle of their product is exactly the same, so you can rely on a consistent taste. One such brand is Jägermeister which uses chromatography to monitor the levels of sugar in their final product.

4. Drug testing

As an analytical technique, chromatography can accurately identify substances within the bloodstream. It is widely used in sport to test athletes for doping or performance enhancing drugs and is something to think about the next time you're watching your favorite sport.

5. Forensic testing

Chromatography is also used to help catch criminals. In line with programs like CSI, gas chromatography gc is used to analyze blood and cloth samples, helping to identify criminals and bring them to justice.

It's clear to see that chromatography is an unsung hero when it comes to keeping you healthy and safe everyday. If you would like to learn more about chromatography, visit our blog.

Peak can help your Chromatography lab

Liked this article? You might also enjoy:
Chromatography inspired cognac GC Analysis in Food and Flavour

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Although you might not be familiar with Chromatography, it has an impact on your everyday life. Chromatography is a technique used to separate the components of a substance to find out what it is composed of and its use affects everything from what you eat to how you fight disease.

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Use this glossary to check definitions during this topic.

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So many fields, so many jobs! Use the attached resource to help you research the opportunities potentially available to you. Included are options at 14 and options at 16.

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Real-life career stories and articles to inspire and inform you about your future in chemistry

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Watch this clip on how iron is extracted:

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Fran Scott learns how iron is extracted from iron ore. The main raw material is iron ore and this arrives by ship in huge quantities from Brazil. Other raw materials include coal and limestone. The coal is converted to coke by heating. Fran visits the blast furnace where iron oxide is reduced to iron by carbon monoxide. The iron that is produced is called pig iron but this is brittle and must be processed into more useful types of iron, or converted to steel. To note this clip was made before the decision to close the steelworks.

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BBC Two - Real World Chemistry, How is iron extracted?

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Fran Scott learns how iron is extracted from iron ore. The main raw material is iron ore and this arrives by ship in huge quantities from Brazil. Other raw materials include coal and limestone. The coal is converted to coke by heating. Fran visits the blast furnace where iron oxide is reduced to iron by carbon monoxide.

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Build an atom using the resources attached here. Don't forget to show your teacher! Use the link also:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom

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Listen to this podcast https://edu.rsc.org/download?ac=11215
, then read the article attached. Where did the information come from? Does it match what you have been taught? What questions for your teacher do you now have?

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Use this glossary to check definitions during this topic.

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Use this link to have a long at the huge variety of jobs working with in space science https://spacecareers.uk/

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SpaceCareers.uk - Space jobs and careers advice

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SpaceCareers.uk is provided by UKSEDS, the UK's national student space society. See our About section to learn more. To get in touch, visit our contact us page. All logos are copyright their respective owners, and their use does not imply endorsement of SpaceCareers.uk or UKSEDS.

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Read this article on the debate on space travel. Do you agree with continuing space travel? Or believe it should be stopped?

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By the early 2020s more than 500 people, coming from more than 40 different countries and more than 10 percent of whom were women, had flown in space. As of that same time, only Russia, China, and the United States had the capability of carrying out human spaceflights. With the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011, the United States lost its independent human spaceflight capability. Such capability was not regained until 2020, when a new private commercial spacecraft, SpaceX's Crew Dragon, was ready for use.

Risks and benefits

Human spaceflight is both risky and expensive. From the crash landing of the first crewed Soyuz spacecraft in 1967 to the breakup of the shuttle orbiter Columbia in 2003, 18 people died during spaceflights. Providing the systems to support people while in orbit adds significant additional costs to a space mission, and ensuring that the launch, flight, and reentry are carried out as safely as possible also requires highly reliable and thus costly equipment, including both spacecraft and launchers.

From the start of human spaceflight efforts, some have argued that the benefits of sending humans into space do not justify either the risks or the costs. They contend that robotic missions can produce equal or even greater scientific results with lower expenditures and that human presence in space has no other valid justification. Those who support human spaceflight cite the still unmatched ability of human intelligence, flexibility, and reliability in carrying out certain experiments in orbit, in repairing and maintaining robotic spacecraft and automated instruments in space, and in acting as explorers in initial journeys to other places in the solar system. They also argue that astronauts serve as excellent role models for younger people and act as vicarious representatives of the many who would like to fly in space themselves. In addition is the long-held view that eventually some humans will leave Earth to establish permanent outposts and larger settlements on the Moon, Mars, or other locations.

Selecting people for spaceflights

Most of the individuals who have gone into space are highly trained astronauts and cosmonauts, the two designations having originated in the United States and the Soviet Union, respectively. (Both taikonaut and yuhangyuan have sometimes been used to describe the astronauts in China's crewed space program.) Those governments interested in sending some of their citizens into space select candidates from many applicants on the basis of their backgrounds and physical and psychological characteristics. The candidates undergo rigorous training before being chosen for an initial spaceflight and then prepare in detail for each mission assigned. Training centres with specialized facilities exist in the United States, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas; in Russia, at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre (commonly called Star City), outside Moscow; in Germany, at ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne; in Japan, at JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center, near Tokyo; and in China, at Space City, near Beijing.

Astronauts and cosmonauts who undertook multiple spaceflights traditionally fell into one of two categories. The first consisted of pilots, often with military backgrounds, who had extensive experience in flying high-performance aircraft. They were responsible for piloting space vehicles such as the space shuttle and Soyuz. The other category included scientists and engineers who are not necessarily pilots. They had primary responsibility for carrying out the scientific and engineering activities scheduled for a particular mission. They were known in the U.S. space program as mission specialists and in the Russian space program as flight engineers. With the development of long-duration space stations such as Mir and the ISS, the distinction between pilot and nonpilot astronauts and cosmonauts has become less clear, because all members of a space station crew carry out station operations and experiments.

A third category of individuals who have gone into space was called variously payload specialists or guest cosmonauts. These individuals include scientists and engineers who accompany their experiments into orbit; individuals selected to go into space for political reasons, such as members of the U.S. Congress or persons from countries allied with the Soviet Union or the United States; and a few nontechnical people-for example, the rare journalist or teacher or the private individual willing to pay substantial amounts of money for a spaceflight. These people are intensively trained for their particular flight but usually go into space only once. The first orbital spaceflight with a crew of private individuals, one of whom had chartered the spacecraft, Inspiration4, launched in 2021. At some future time, the costs and risks of human spaceflight may become low enough to accommodate a booming business of space tourism, in which many people would be able to experience spaceflight. Until then, access to orbit will be restricted to a comparatively small number of people. However, several firms have planned for paying customers brief suborbital flights that would provide a few minutes of weightlessness and dramatic views of Earth as they are launched on a trajectory carrying them just below 100 km (62 miles) in altitude, the generally recognized border between airspace and outer space.

Biomedical, psychological, and sociological aspects

Human beings have evolved to live in the environment of Earth's surface. The space environment-with its very low level of gravity, lack of atmosphere, wide temperature variations, and often high levels of ionizing radiation from the Sun, from particles trapped in the Van Allen radiation belts, and from cosmic rays-is an unnatural place for humans. An understanding of the effects on the human body of spaceflight, particularly long-duration flights away from Earth to destinations such as Mars, is incomplete.

Many of those going into space experience space sickness ( see motion sickness), which may cause vomiting, nausea, and stomach discomfort, among other symptoms. The condition is thought to arise from a contradiction experienced in the brain between external information coming from the eyes and internal information coming from the balance organs in the inner ear, which are normally stimulated continually by gravity. Space sickness usually disappears within two or three days as the brain adapts to the space environment, although symptoms may reappear temporarily when the space traveler returns to Earth's gravity.

The virtual absence of gravity causes loss of tissue mass in the calf and thigh muscles, which are used on Earth's surface to counter the effect of gravity. Muscles that are less involved with gravity, such as those used to bend the legs or arms, are less affected. Some loss of muscle mass in the heart has been observed in astronauts on long-duration missions. In the absence of gravity, blood that normally pools in the body's lower extremities initially shifts to the upper regions. As a result, the face appears puffy, the person experiences sinus congestion and headaches, and blood production decreases as the body attempts to compensate. In addition, in the space environment, some weight-bearing bones in the body atrophy.

Although the changes in muscle, bone, and blood production do not pose problems for astronauts in space, they do so on their return to Earth. For example, in normal gravity, a person with decreased bone mass runs a greater risk of breaking a bone during normal strenuous activity. Countermeasures, particularly various forms of exercise while in space, have been developed to prevent these effects from causing health problems later on Earth. Even so, people recovering from long-duration flights require varying amounts of time to readjust to Earth conditions. Light-headedness usually disappears within one or two days; lack of balance and symptoms of motion sickness, in three to five days; anemia, in one to two weeks; muscle atrophy, in three to five weeks; and bone atrophy, in one to three years or more.

Except for the Apollo trips to the Moon, all human spaceflights have taken place in near-Earth orbit. In this location, Earth's magnetic field shields humans from potentially dangerous exposure to ionizing radiation from recurrent major disturbances on the Sun and interplanetary cosmic rays. The Apollo missions, which were all less than two weeks long, were timed to avoid exposure to anticipated high levels of solar radiation. If, however, humans were sent on journeys to Mars or other destinations that would take months or even years, such measures would be inadequate. Exposure to high levels of solar radiation or cosmic rays could cause potentially fatal tumours and other health problems ( see radiation injury). Space engineers will need to devise adequate radiation shielding for interplanetary crewed spacecraft and will require accurate predictions of radiation damage to the body to ensure that risks remain within acceptable limits. Biomedical advances are also necessary to develop methods for the early detection and mitigation of radiation damage. Nevertheless, the effects of radiation may remain a major obstacle to long human voyages in space.

In addition to the biomedical issues associated with human spaceflight are a number of psychological and sociological issues, particularly for long-duration missions aboard a space station or to distant destinations. To be in space is to be in an extreme and isolated environment. Mission planners will have to consider issues relating to crew size and composition-particularly if the crews are mixtures of men and women and come from several nations with different cultures-if interpersonal conflicts are to be avoided and effective teamwork achieved.

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Space exploration - Human, Debate, Consequences

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Space exploration - Human, Debate, Consequences: By the early 2020s more than 500 people, coming from more than 40 different countries and more than 10 percent of whom were women, had flown in space. As of that same time, only Russia, China, and the United States had the capability of carrying out human spaceflights.

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Use this website to make your own accurate model of the solar system and learn more about what is in our solar system. Don't forget to show your teacher.

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Student Project: Make a Scale Solar System | NASA/JPL Edu

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Use beads and string, sidewalk chalk, or your own creative choice of materials to build a scale model of planet sizes or distances in the solar system.

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Read this article. How can we convince flat Earthers that their beliefs are wrong? Should we?

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Flat earthers believe one of the most curious conspiracy theories on the internet. Here's a look at what they believe and why.

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Use this link to see where electricity can take you!

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Your low carbon career starts here

The core skills that you'll develop when becoming a qualified electrician are the foundation from which you'll then upskill and specialise in areas such as solar panel installation or electric vehicle charging point installation.

The Electrical Careers website has been created by the electrical industry to help you to make informed choices about your training and career progression.

On the site, you'll find information on the industry, the opportunities and importantly the correct training routes you should follow.

There are no short cuts to becoming a qualified electrician. You'll need real, on-site work experience so you can put your learning into practice. You may see intensive courses that claim to qualify you as an electrician over a short period of time, but we strongly recommend against this. Read our advice on making sure you're doing the right electrical training.

Electrical Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is the preferred route into the electrical industry. You'll earn while you learn and train to industry standards, building your skills and knowledge over time. In England, apprenticeship funding is available for all ages.

The electrical industry presents a whole host of opportunities. From electrician to Chartered Engineer, with an electrical apprenticeship under your belt you can move up the career ladder and, if you wish, progress into a variety of specialist areas such as fire and security, network cabling, data communications and building energy management systems.

Take a look at our videos from electrical apprentices, design engineers and business owners talking about how they got into the industry and how an electrical apprenticeship benefitted them.

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Electrical Careers | Electrical Apprenticeships | Electrical Training

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The Electrical Careers website gives you advice on electrical apprenticeships, training courses and the right routes to becoming a qualified electrician.

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You can find instructions on the internet to be able to make your own Faraday cage. Remember to show your teacher.

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Electricity is the lifeblood of many aspects of our world. Without volts and amps, many of our technological innovations would cease to exist. Even our bodies wouldn't function without an electrical charge zipping through our cells. But what electricity gives, electricity can take away.

Although this form of energy is vital to so much of our lives, it's one of those things that are only good in the right amounts. Too much electricity can electrocute people. Likewise, it can kill our modern electronics and machines.

But thanks to Michael Faraday, the brilliant 19th-century scientist, and one of his namesake inventions, the Faraday cage, we humans have developed plenty of ways to control electricity and make it safer for our computers, cars and other inventions - and for us, too.

Faraday cages shield their contents from electromagnetic radiation. Basically, when an electromagnetic field hits something that can conduct electricity, the charges remain on the outside of the conductor rather than traveling inside. Faraday cages often look distinctly, well, cagelike. Some are as simple as chain-link fences or ice pails. Others use a fine metallic mesh.

Electromagnetic radiation is all around us. It's in visible and ultraviolet light, in the microwaves that cook our food and even in the FM and AM radio waves that pump music through our radios. But sometimes, this radiation is undesirable and downright disruptive. That's where Faraday cages come in.

As a Faraday cage distributes that charge or radiation around the cage's exterior, it cancels out electric charges or radiation within the cage's interior. In short, a Faraday cage is a hollow conductor, in which the charge remains on the external surface of the cage.

That basic function has plenty of fascinating uses in our electrically cluttered and technology-packed world. And although Faraday would eventually have his day, the backdrop for his invention actually has its roots in earlier times. So, where did the idea for these ultra-useful cages come from?

Benjamin Franklin and Michael Faraday

Although the Faraday Cage is named after Michael Faraday, it was Benjamin Franklin who helped inspire many of the ideas behind Faraday cages. Franklin, of course, spent part of his illustrious career flying kites in thunderstorms in attempts to attract lightning and thus was already somewhat acquainted with the vagaries and concepts of electricity.

In 1755, Franklin began toying with electricity in new ways. He electrified a silver pint can and lowered an uncharged cork ball attached to a non-conductive silk thread into it until the cork touched the bottom of the can. "The cork was not attracted to the inside of the cann as it would have been to the outside, and though it touched the bottom, yet, when drawn out, it was not found to be electrified by that touch, as it would have been by touching the outside. The fact is singular," Franklin wrote in a letter to a colleague.

He was mystified by the interplay of electricity and the charged and uncharged objects and admitted as much: "You require the reason; I do not know it. Perhaps you may discover it, and then you will be so good as to communicate it to me."

Decades later, an English physicist and chemist named Michael Faraday made other pertinent observations - namely, he realized that an electrical conductor (such as a metal cage), when charged, exhibited that charge only on its surface. It had no effect on the interior of the conductor.

Faraday reaffirmed this observation by lining a room with metal foil and then charging the foil with the use of an electrostatic generator. He placed an electroscope (a device that detects electrical charges) inside the room, and, as he anticipated, the scope indicated that there was no charge within the room. The charge just moved along the surface of the foil and didn't penetrate the room at all.

Faraday further examined this phenomenon with his famous ice pail experiment. In this test, he basically duplicated Franklin's idea by lowering a charged brass ball into a metal cup. As expected, his results were the same as Franklin's.

This concept has all sorts of amazing applications, but here's one that's relevant to anyone who's ever been in an airplane. Imagine flying in an airplane that's suddenly struck by lightning. This isn't a rare occurrence - it happens regularly, yet the plane and its passengers aren't affected. That's because the aluminum hull of the plane creates a Faraday cage. The charge from the lightning passes harmlessly over the surface of the plane without damaging the equipment or people inside.

It's not shocking, really. It's just science. So, how does this clever kind of cage design really work?

What Does a Faraday Cage Do?

In order to understand how Faraday cages work, you need a basic understanding of how electricity operates in conductors. The process is simple: Metal objects, such as an aluminum mesh, are conductors, and have electrons (negatively charged particles) that move around in them. When no electrical charge is present, the conductor has roughly the same number of commingling positive and negative particles.

If an external object with an electrical charge approaches the conductor, the positive and negative particles separate. Electrons with a charge opposite that of the external charge are drawn to that external object. Electrons with the same charge as the external object are repelled and move away from that object. This redistribution of charges is called electrostatic induction.

With the external charged object present, the positive and negative particles wind up on opposite sides of the conductor. The result is an opposing electric field that cancels out the field of the external object's charge inside the metal conductor. The net electric charge inside the aluminum mesh, then, is zero.

And here's the real kicker: Although there's no charge inside the conductor, the opposing electric field does have an important effect - it shields the interior from exterior static electric charges and also from electromagnetic radiation, like radio waves and microwaves. Therein lies the true value of Faraday cages.

The effectiveness of this shielding varies depending on the cage's construction. Variations in the conductivity of different metals, such as copper or aluminum, affect the cage's function. The size of the holes in the screen or mesh also changes the cage's capabilities and can be adjusted depending on the frequency and wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation you want to exclude from the interior of the cage.

Faraday cages sometimes go by other names. They can be called Faraday shields, RF ( radio frequency) cages, or EMF ( electromotive force) cages.

No matter what you call them, Faraday cages are most often used in scientific labs, either in experiments or in product development.

Modern Uses for Faraday Cages

People use Faraday cages for a wide array of purposes - sometimes in esoteric lab settings, other times in common products. Your car, for example, works basically as a Faraday cage. It's this effect, not the rubber tires, that protects you in case of a nearby lightning strike.

A lot of buildings act as Faraday cages, too, if only by accident. With their plaster or concrete walls strewn with metal rebar or wire mesh, they often wreak havoc with wireless internet networks and cellphone signals.

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Microwave ovens are one common product that use a Faraday cage. Instead of keeping microwaves out, they force them into a small cooking chamber that "nukes" your food.

Jupiterimages/©Getty Images/Photos.com/Thinkstock

But the shielding effect most often benefits humankind. Microwave ovens reverse the effect, trapping waves within a cage and quickly cooking your food. Screened TV cables help to maintain a crisp, clear image by reducing interference.

Power utility linemen often wear specially made suits that exploit the Faraday cage concept. Within these suits, the linemen can work on high-voltage power lines with a much-reduced risk of electrocution.

Governments can protect vital telecommunications equipment from lightning strikes and other electromagnetic interference by building Faraday cages around them. Science labs at universities and corporations employ advanced Faraday cages to completely exclude all external electric charges and electromagnetic radiation to create a totally neutral testing environment for all sorts of experiments and product development.

Cutting-edge Cages

Swing by a hospital and you'll find Faraday cages in the form of MRI (magnetic resonance scanning) rooms. MRI scans rely on powerful magnetic fields to create medically useful scans of the human body. MRI rooms must be shielded to prevent stray electromagnetic fields from affecting a patient's diagnostic images.

There are plenty of political and military uses for Faraday cages, too. Politicians may opt to discuss sensitive matters only in shielded rooms that can block out eavesdropping technologies. All modern armed forces depend on electronics for communications and weapons systems, but there's a catch - these systems are vulnerable to aggressive EMPs ( electromagnetic pulses), which can be a result of a solar storm or even man-made EMP attacks. To safeguard critical systems, militaries sometimes use shielded bunkers and vehicles.

It's for this same reason that Faraday cages are a fond subject in the survivalist subculture. These people, who preach self-sufficiency and mistrust of governmental response in the face of human-caused or natural disasters, believe in shielding all important electronics using homemade Faraday cages. In the event that an apocalyptic cataclysm strikes, they'll still have their shortwave radios and other high-tech tools that could be lifesavers.

Even if you're not particularly concerned with doomsday scenarios, Faraday cages likely play a role in your life every day. These cages harness a basic principle of physics and help people all over the planet put those principles to use - for safety, luxury, convenience and to help further evermore exciting technological advances.

Originally Published: Jun 28, 2011

Faraday Cage FAQ

What is a Faraday cage and how does it work?

A Faraday cage is a container or shield made of conductive material that blocks electromagnetic radiation around the exterior of the cage, protecting whatever is inside from any static or non-static charge or radiation.

What can penetrate a Faraday cage?

A Faraday cage shields the interior from an external charge or electromagnetic radiation to a large degree, especially if the conductor is thick enough. However, Faraday cages cannot block stable or slowly varying magnetic fields. For example, the Earth's magnetic field can penetrate a Faraday cage, so a compass will still work.

Are Faraday cages legal?

While electric jamming devices are illegal, Faraday cages are completely legal. In fact, they're commonly used in power plants or other highly charged environments, planes, microwave ovens and buildings.

Can you use aluminum foil as a Faraday cage?

Aluminum foil can be used as a Faraday cage as long as it has no rips in it and an insulating layer between its surface and any item inside that is to be protected.

Can you buy a Faraday cage?

You can buy Faraday cages for various uses. You can find them in varying sizes, from small bags that can hold a smartphone to a large Faraday tent to park your car in.

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Electricity is the lifeblood of many aspects of our world. Without volts and amps, many of our technological innovations would cease to exist. Even our bodies wouldn't function without an electrical charge zipping through our cells. But what electricity gives, electricity can take away.

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Is this the merging of biology, chemistry and physics? How do you think this could be developed in the future? Draw up a plan of how you think it could work and show it to your teacher.

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Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a stretchable and waterproof 'fabric' that turns energy generated from body movements into electrical energy.

A crucial component in the fabric is a polymer that, when pressed or squeezed, converts mechanical stress into electrical energy. It is also made with stretchable spandex as a base layer and integrated with a rubber-like material to keep it strong, flexible, and waterproof.

In a proof-of-concept experiment reported in the scientific journal Advanced Materials in April, the NTU Singapore team showed that tapping on a 3cm by 4cm piece of the new fabric generated enough electrical energy to light up 100 LEDs.

Washing, folding, and crumpling the fabric did not cause any performance degradation, and it could maintain stable electrical output for up to five months, demonstrating its potential for use as a smart textile and wearable power source.

Materials scientist and NTU Associate Provost (Graduate Education) Professor Lee Pooi See, who led the study, said: "There have been many attempts to develop fabric or garments that can harvest energy from movement, but a big challenge has been to develop something that does not degrade in function after being washed, and at the same time retains excellent electrical output. In our study, we demonstrated that our prototype continues to function well after washing and crumpling. We think it could be woven into t-shirts or integrated into soles of shoes to collect energy from the body's smallest movements, piping electricity to mobile devices."
Harvesting an alternative source of energy
The electricity-generating fabric developed by the NTU team is an energy harvesting device that turns vibrations produced from the smallest body movements in everyday life into electricity.

The prototype fabric produces electricity in two ways: when it is pressed or squashed (piezoelectricity), and when it comes into contact or is in friction with other materials, such as skin or rubber gloves (triboelectric effect).

To fabricate the prototype, the scientists first made a stretchable electrode by screen-printing an 'ink' comprising silver and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), a rubber-like material found in teethers and handlebar grips to make it more stretchable and waterproof.

This stretchable electrode is then attached to a piece of nanofibre fabric that is made up of two main components: poly(vinylidene fluoride)- co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HPF), a polymer that produces an electrical charge when compressed, bent, or stretched; and lead-free perovskites, a promising material in the field of solar cells and LEDs.

NTU PhD student Jiang Feng, who is part of the research team, explained: "Embedding perovskites in PVDF-HPF increases the prototype's electrical output. In our study, we opted for lead-free perovskites as a more environmentally friendly option. While perovskites are brittle by nature, integrating them into PVDF-HPF gives the perovskites exceptional mechanical durability and flexibility. The PVDF-HPF also acts an extra layer of protection to the perovskites, adding to its mechanical property and stability."

The result is a prototype fabric that generates 2.34 watts per square metre of electricity -- enough to power small electronic devices, such as LEDs and commercial capacitors.
Proof of concept
To demonstrate how their prototype fabric could work, the NTU scientists showed how a hand tapping on a 3cm by 4cm piece of the fabric continuously could light up 100 LEDs, or charge various capacitors, which are devices that store electrical energy and are found in devices like mobile phones.

The fabric showed good durability and stability -- its electrical properties did not deteriorate following washing, folding, and crumpling. It also continued to produce a continuous stable electrical output up to five months.

The scientists showed that their fabric could harness energy from a range of human movements by attaching it to the arm, leg, hand, and elbow, as well as to the insoles of shoes, and did so without impacting on the movements.

Prof Lee said: "Despite improved battery capacity and reduced power demand, power sources for wearable devices still require frequent battery replacements. Our results show that our energy harvesting prototype fabric can harness vibration energy from a human to potentially extend the lifetime of a battery or even to build self-powered systems. To our knowledge, this is the first hybrid perovskite-based energy device that is stable, stretchable, breathable, waterproof, and at the same time capable of delivering outstanding electrical output performance."

This fabric-based energy harvesting prototype builds on the NTU team's body of work that looks at how energy generated in the environment could be scavenged. For instance, the team recently developed a type of film that could potentially be mounted on roofs or walls to harness the energy produced from wind or raindrops falling onto the film.

The team is now looking at how the same fabric could be adapted to harvest different forms of energy.

Video: https://youtu.be/8lv_qw54vBo

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energy technology; wearable technology; textiles and clothing; electricity; mobile computing; spintronics research; neural interfaces; computer science

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Scientists develop a 'fabric' that turns body movement into electricity: 'Fabric' could one day be integrated into clothes or wearable electronics to power devices on the go

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Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a stretchable and waterproof 'fabric' that turns energy generated from body movements into electrical energy. A crucial component in the fabric is a polymer that, when pressed or squeezed, converts mechanical stress into electrical energy.

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What can you do to sustain our/your future?

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Renewable energy is the future

We can now see a future where almost all our electricity in the UK comes from climate-friendly energy sources like the wind, wave and sun.

We're already making progress. Since 2004, renewable energy in the UK has grown ten-fold, and 37% of electricity is now from renewable sources. What's more, Scotland produces 90% of electricity from renewable sources.

It's now cheaper to build and run wind and solar energy than it is gas.

We need the government to get behind ambitious action on climate, like switching from fossil fuels to renewable sources. It won't just improve our health and reduce our impact on the planet, it'll also help reduce fuel poverty and boost the UK economy through the creation of thousands of green energy jobs.

What's wrong with fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas contribute to climate breakdown by heating the atmosphere, causing extreme weather to devastate communities. Just look at how flooding in Yorkshire is impacting people's livelihoods, and how drought has driven displacement across East Africa.

The UK pledged to prevent global warming from spiralling out of control by signing the 2015 Paris Agreement. And it's legally bound by its own law to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

To achieve that goal, we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground and source 75% of our electricity from clean energy by 2030.

With new nuclear power very expensive, and new gas too polluting, there's only one major source of power we can turn to: renewables.

Are renewable energy sources cost effective?

Shifting to renewable electricity will be good value for UK taxpayers.

The price of renewable energy is rapidly falling, and solar costs have dropped globally by 90% since 2009. In fact, wind and solar are now the cheapest sources of new electricity.

Even the price of offshore wind is plummeting in price, thanks to much bigger turbines. The cost of new offshore wind farms is expected to be lower than onshore wind by the mid 2030s.

What happens if the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow?

Thanks to advanced weather forecasting, we now know how much they'll produce, from a day in advance to 5 minutes ahead. This means we can make other sources available for the times they won't be. Including extremely regular renewable energy, like tidal and hydropower.

In any case, no energy source runs 24 hours a day for a whole year.

Power stations come on and offline for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is to cope with a spike in demand for power – like when millions of kettles boil during a commercial break.

To balance these spikes, the UK largely relies on natural gas.

But in the future we'll see larger amounts of energy storage. Gadgets like batteries and electric vehicles will store surplus energy from renewables, and release it when required.

The more renewables there are – and the more diverse they are – the less back-up gas we need.

What will the future energy grid look like?

The UK energy grid used to rely on a small number of power stations.

But increasingly, our electricity system is powered by renewables and is now much more diverse. So if something goes wrong with one part of the system, it's far less of a threat to our overall energy security.

In the future, most of our power, including that used to heat our homes and power our cars, will come from wind and solar power. And a smaller percentage from tidal, hydro and geothermal.

Our grid will become even smarter to match supply and demand – reducing costs while keeping our kettles boiling. Electric cars and batteries will stockpile electricity for us. We might also convert power into hydrogen gas for long-term storage.

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Renewable energy in the UK How wind, wave and sun will power the UK | Friends of the Earth

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Friends of the Earth research shows how renewable energy sources can power the UK, keep our lights on and help us tackle climate breakdown.

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Bonding, structure and the properties of matter - GCSE Combined Science Revision - AQA Trilogy - BBC Bitesize

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GCSE Combined Science Bonding, structure and the properties of matter learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.