Ideas Studio – Curious About Innovation

11 and over
Industry
Materials
Our Planet

Meet the Scientist: Dr. Tracy White, CuanTec

Meet Dr Tracy White from CuanTec to find out more about bioplastics and skills essential for science.

8 and over
Industry
Materials
Our Planet

Cookie Mining

Mining the earth for useful rocks and minerals is no easy tasks. Take on the challenge and set up your own Cookie Mine, balancing budget and environmental impact.

8 and over
Climate Change
Materials
Our Planet

Rock Powered Planet: Mining, Recycling and Sustainability

Rocks and minerals are vital for technology including smartphones, wind turbines and solar panels, but do we really have enough supply to meet the growing demand?

8 and over
Engineering
Materials
Our Planet

Your Rock Powered Smartphone

What’s the connection between a volcano and a touch screen? Learn about the rocks and minerals that make up smartphones and how things need to change so we can keep up with the growing demand.

11 and over
Our Planet

Insects as Tools for Monitoring Wild Animal Populations

Sampling blood from wild animals is a big challenge. That’s why researchers at the University of Glasgow are using biting insects to sample DNA from wild animal’s blood.

11 and over
Climate Change
Computer Science
Data/Maths
Our Planet

Swimming, Not Drowning, in a Deep Pool of Data about Water

How can we use the huge amounts of data we collect, to learn about our ‘blue planet’ and the freshwater resources that support all life on Earth?

11 and over
Climate Change
Energy
Our Planet

Save Energy, Waste Energy

Can energy saving methods really end up using more energy? From recycling to carbon capture, which energy efficient methods are not as efficient as you might think?

11 and over
Design
Energy
Engineering
Our Planet

Solar Powered Roads

The amount of sunlight that hits the Earth’s surface is huge! But are the possibilities of what we could use that amount of sunlight for even bigger?

11 and over
Climate Change
Energy
Engineering
Our Planet

Salt Water Lamps

Salt + Water = Light! Ok it might not be that simple, otherwise saltwater lakes would be glowing all day, but see how simple chemistry could provide safe light sources.

11 and over
Climate Change
Computer Science
Engineering
Our Planet
Transport

The Future of Transport: Driving Change in the Next 10 years

How is transport being revolutionised with technology to tackle pollution and banish congestion? From artificial intelligence to super-speed trains, what will the transport of our future really look like?

all ages
Our Planet

Wild Oyster Project: Using a New Platform to Re-establish an Old Industry

Most people know what an oyster is, but did you know they're rare in the wild? Learn about the Wild Oyster Project, which aims to re-establish UK native oyster.

8 and over
Climate Change
Materials
Our Planet

Rock Powered Planet: Going Green

Learn how rocks and minerals from the earth are a vital part of going green, as we move away from harmful fossil fuels.

11 and over
Industry
Materials
Our Planet

Rare Earth Minerals Happy Families

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are vital in our new technologies from smart phones to wind turbines. It's important that these elements are responsibly sourced. Play Rare Earth Minerals Happy Families to discover more about these elements.

8 and over
Industry
Materials
Our Planet

Rare Earth Deposits Top Trumps

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are used in many modern technologies from computers and smart phones to wind turbines and low energy lighting. Discover more about Rare Earth Elements as you play Rare Earth Deposits Top Trumps.

8 and over
Our Planet

Vertical Farming

In this episode of 'A Spark of Science,' learn about the practice of vertical farming and how it's transforming agriculture.

13 and over
Climate Change
Engineering
Our Planet

BladeBUG

BladeBUG Limited is developing a unique walking robot to remotely inspect, maintain and repair wind turbine blades, helped by funding from the #ISCF Robots for a Safer World challenge.

8 and over
Materials
Our Planet

Potato Bioplastics

Plastic from potatoes? Is it possible? Find out more about research into biopolymers and sustainable plastics.

11 and over
Materials
Our Planet

Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging

Plastic waste is a worldwide issue, find out how scientists from The University of Strathclyde are working to develop Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging.

8 and over
Climate Change
Our Planet

Dynamic Earth – Indigenous Solutions

See how scientists and indigenous people can work together to come up with solutions to problems caused by climate change, then create your own poster of what you’ve learned.

8 and over
Computer Science
Our Planet

Dynamic Earth – Satellites and Snow Leopards

What is artificial intelligence and how do machines learn? Find out how researchers are using these innovative technologies to learn about snow leopards and protect them in the wild.

8 and over
Climate Change
Engineering
Our Planet

Dynamic Earth – Innovation and the Climate Crisis: Science or Fiction?

From space umbrellas to hard working hamsters, can you sort the science from the fiction when it comes to creative solutions that could help solve the climate crisis?

11 and over
Materials
Our Planet

Football Pitch Microplastics

You may not realise it but the little bits of black plastic you find in your shoes after playing football on an artificial pitch are a microplastic and can harm the environment.

13 and over
Materials
Our Planet

Forever Chemicals – What are they and what can we do about them?

Dr Kerry Dinsmore explains the persistent problem with PFAS, and how this group of harmful industrial chemicals are replacing plastic as we rush to find sustainable alternatives to food packaging.

11 and over
Industry
Materials
Our Planet

Climate Innovations: Bioplastics

We meet Dr Tracy White, from CuanTec to investigate how innovation in biotechnology can reduce plastic pollution and food waste.