Animals, plants, habitats

Biology

Characteristics of life

Aquatic animals - organisms in the stream and pond

When talking about animals in streams and ponds, children usually think of fish and frogs. The fact that there are other animals in these habitats that are…

Asseln unter der Lupe - inklusiv

Asseln sind bestimmt keine besonders beliebten Haustiere – umso mehr eignen sie sich aber als Einstieg in die Tierkunde. Was machen eigentlich Zoologen, deren…

CakeLab – function of baking ingredients

“Pat-a-cake pat-a-cake, baker’s man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can…” This popular nursery rhyme might be one way to bake a cake. But there are also other…

Chocolate atelier – The secret of Swiss Chocolate

Cocoa beans were already consumed at the time of the Aztecs and the Mayas, and chocolate has remained a bestseller for centuries. And it is equally clear that…

Cold, colder, shock freezing – ice cream in three minutes

Need an ice cream? We only use natural ingredients and freeze them with liquid nitrogen (minus 196 °C!) in no time to a fruity delicacy. Who can say no to a…

CSI Technorama – forensics

Regardless of whether it is a burglary, an accident or a felony, crime scene investigations always begin with securing the evidence. Are there fingerprints?…

Don't be so superficial! – Understand structures

How do plant leaves behave towards water? What does that have to do with surfaces and structures? And what can we learn about ourselves and our everyday life…

Genetic fingerprint - CSI

If the genetic makeup is roughly 99% the same among all humans, how is it possible to use DNA as a basis for convicting criminals beyond doubt? Is there a…

In murky waters - bioindication

How do we actually know how healthy a body of water is? Researchers use biological diversity as a criterion for water quality, among other things. Based on the…

Individual school projects at the REM

Matura work or class projects Whether pollen for checking honey quality or as templates for design objects, detailed illustrations of insects and plant…

Kalt, kälter, schockfrosten - inklusiv

Ein Glace gefällig? Wir verwenden nur natürliche Zutaten und frosten diese mit flüssigem Stickstoff (minus 196 °C!) in Nullkommanix zu einer fruchtigen…

Listen up! - Directional listening

The cat lies on the couch, eyes closed. Only the ears move slightly and turn in the direction from which they perceive a sound. Why can some creatures move…

Making it big – microscopy

Astronomers use the telescope to study the vast universe, and biologists use the microscope to examine microorganisms. But under the microscope we can also see…

Pleased to meet me – DNA

Have you ever wondered what it is that makes you, you, with those ears and that eye colour? Have you ever looked at your DNA? What exactly is it and where do…

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami – PCR

Do we all really taste the same thing when we bite into a hot dog? And if not, what role do our genes play? PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction. This is a…

The beauty in the beast – scientific methods

It is safe to say that isopoda (woodlice) are not the most popular pets – but they are all the more useful for zoology. What do zoologists actually do when…

What do you see? – Function of the eye

We make eyes at someone, but keep an eye on others. We can turn a blind eye and sometimes get away with just a black eye. But the myriad of idiomatic…

Where am I? – Bioelectric orientation

Migratory birds find their way south by means of magnetoreception, bats create an “aural picture” of their surroundings by means of echolocation and certain…