FHS Science podcast - Beyond the curriculum.

We talk water and sewage - who invented the toilet, why water disposal is so important, and make sure you shower before you swim!

We talk careers and paper rounds with Mr Forsyth, Atkinson and Young focussing on the importance of #nowrongpathway, skills, resilience and growth mindset.

Tennis is an interesting subject for science as it is hugely dependent on materials (racquets, courts, balls) but would tennis players be any better if they knew more physics?

A German word meaning ‘environment’. But also that different species, with different dominant senses, perceive the world very differently to us. We do our best to discuss what these are and how perhaps we could be less human sense-centric!

We try to add our thoughts on the TV show ‘Breaking Bad’. They have used science experts, what can we add to the discussion?

Hear from Ricky Sheriff-Short as he describes his journey from an inauspicious academic end to school to working with 15,000 nurses after an interactive and fulfilling nursing career. When Ricky says ‘bank’ he means a nursing bank, not a bank bank! ;-)

Scales are useful for relative measurement - so pH 1 is more acidic than pH2 by a factor of x10 concentration hydrogen ions. Similarly, 20decibells is 10x louder than 10decibells. But what about your stools? On a scale of 1 to 7 your stool can be used to tell whereabouts you are more constipated or have diarrhoea. Awesome.

We discuss rockets, fuel, the proposed base on the moon and travel to Mars. Radiation, dummies and Shaun the sheep. As ever, we’re not experts, it’s a starting point for discussion…for example, the solid fuel rocket is used second not first! …and we don’t know if it is (insoluble) aluminium oxide poisoning the aquatic life around the launch site.

What units of measurement should we use, and which ones do we commonly use? We discuss the metric system, Imperial units and odd ones used on the news…. Like Wales!

Second series - up and running with the usual expert insight and occasional ignorance. But, always discussion.

A final discussion on covid and global warming - what’s the solution? As always we are not experts, we are discussing science to expose our ignorance and learn from it. Happy holidays.

Today we talk materials, earthquakes and buildings. We’re not experts, obviously, but it’s a starting point. I wonder if the technology and science behind wind proof bridges is used for earthquake proof buildings?

From termite mounds to earthquake proof buildings. We chat around the houses about temperature control, the greenhouse effect, and earthquake proof buildings.

Should STEM be STEAM? The use of art in science is significant and perhaps we should release or engage our artistic side more as scientists.

Mainly aeroplanes and swimming pools was all we had time for this morning!

Does science fiction influence scientific development or is it merely predictive. Did Star Trek really stimulate the production of touch screen computers? We talk, highlighting our full ignorance, about science fiction and our current reality.

What scientific developments have started with nature? Biomimetics have played an important part in our lives from understanding blood pressure in high G to Velcro straps. Listen in, and as always, we’re not experts, just interested.

Today we chat around things that have been developed by NASA and are now in everyday use. Mr Forsyth joins us with his expertise and comments.

Starting with Newton’s observation that solid object fall to the ground, how many other scientific discoveries are ‘lucky’? A disclaimer here in that this is a discussion and we may not be 100% accurate, please DO NOT taste or lick any chemicals.

Exams start so good luck to all pupils with upcoming exams. We talk about words in science with different meanings in different subjects in and everyday usage.

Emma and Briony talk about what they enjoyed about science at Falkirk High School. Despite ‘not doing any experiments’ since s2 they will be missed from the science department. We wish them all the best in the future and hope FHS has prepared them well for whatever they face next.

A rambling and brief overview of a first year of science podcasts. A diversion into iso synchronous pathways…. I know, I’ll need to look this up to! , and a reflection on the benefits to learning of discussion, being able to have the confidence to be wrong and to improve your understanding. Happy Easter.

We start with the IPCC tabling discussions on removing CO2 from the atmosphere using ‘machines’ and highlight our ignorance of how crustaceans make their shells! From there to entropy and randomness. Think of a number between 1 and 10 inclusive…. Was it 7? As usual, we are not experts, this is just a starting point for discussions!

Have exams changed for the better? Is it easier to sit exams when you are younger? Is learning when you are older more fun without the looming sense of assessment dread?

Today is less ‘planned’ and we picked the space port planned for Shetland, which unexpectedly turned to social conventions and the meaning of military chevrons on sleeves! #womensday #Ukraine