Here are some resources from past Group 4 Projects.

2010: “How can Science help re-build a stable and sustainable economy?” Outline Sheet (Word 2007)

2009: “How can Science aid progress towards the UN’s Millenium Development Goals?”

Tick-tock. With just five years left to achieve the UN’s Millenium Development Goals, what role can Science play in progress towards them? Each group will focus on a different MDG, and your project will look at progress, ideas and measurement.

There is a feed of global development information at the bottom-right of this website. You can also keep up with the Guardian’s Global Development Website.

Here’s MrT’s hero, Hans Rosling talking about successes towards the MDGs:

The UN's Millenium Development Goals - which is your focus?

2008: “How can Science help solve global environmental issues?”

You’d think the link between HIV and AIDS would by now be undisputed, but there is a growing amount of web and airtime being given to erroneous denialist views. Partly this is being stoked by the controversial ‘documentary’ House of Numbers:

Sadly, these views seem to be permeating mainstream media.

Guiding questions:

1. What are some of the main points made by the film?

2. What do they argue are the causes of AIDS?

3. What effects can glossy pseudo-scientific presentations such as this have on public perception and trust of science?

…….o0O0o………

Reader:

Brilliant (free) chapter on Matthias Rath and AIDS denialism in South Africa, from BadScience.

…….o0O0o………

Here is MrT’s hero, Hans Rosling, outlining HIV/AIDS data using GapMinder:

And to restore your faith in HIV/AIDS information and the scientific process, visit AIDSTruth.org for a comprehensive breakdown of HIV/AIDS facts and stats.

Essential Biology 5.3: Populations.

Try this tutorial from WHFreeman to see how how manipulating r (reproduction rate), No (starting population) and K (carrying capacity), affects the growth of a simulated population.

Yeast Population Growth lab and simulation:

You will need a copy of the IBDP Bio StatBook for the data collection.

You can also see how to use a hemacytometer to count the population of cells at JoVE.

……….o0O0o………..

Here’s MrT’s TED Talk hero Hans Rosling talking about global population growth, through the hi-tech medium of colourful bins. He argues that to curb population growth, we need to raise the living standards of the poor:

Key terms: population, carrying, capacity, exponential, lag, phase, plateau, natality, mortality, emigration, immigration.