The environmental footprint of Saturday’s FA Cup final between Manchester United and Chelsea is likely to be more than 3,000 times the size of the Wembley pitch. Each fan’s eco-footprint will be nearly 10 times what it would have been if he or she had watched the game at home.The average football fan’s taste for beer and pies makes up a large chunk of the ecological impact. “They are highly processed food and drink products which require a lot of energy to produce,” said Andrea Collins, of Cardiff University, whose team carried out an analysis of the environmental impact of the 2004 final at the Millennium stadium. Read the rest of this entry »

Scientists have solved the mystery of how a baby shark appeared in a tank of females without the help of a male: it was a virgin birth. The bonnethead shark was born through “parthenogenesis“, a process where an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilised by sperm.

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We discussed why people are not vaccinating their children with the MMR vaccine (measles/mumps/rubella) due to concern (not proved) about a link to autism. You were asked to consider if you would vaccinate your child against MMR.

key facts about MMR

government information for parents

Answer in full sentences in your book. Read the powerpoint again before answering. 

1. What is a pathogen?
2. What do toxins do to the body?
3. Why do painkillers not really make you better?
4. What is phagocytosis?
5. What are lymphocytes and what do they do?
6. What are antigens?
7. What is meant by the term active immunity?
8. How do vaccines work?

 This work needs to be completed by this Friday.

starter sheet – bacteri, virus or fungi

Tony Blair has reiterated his backing for nuclear power as the government prepares to unveil its energy strategy.

Plans to build more nuclear power stations are expected to be among the proposals in the Energy White Paper.

An expansion of energy efficiency and renewable sources such as tide and wind power will also be detailed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6681377.stm

A guide to nuclear power

Anyone see the BBC’s whistleblower program last night? It put me right off buying meat from Sainsbury and Tesco.