essay of natural science

Science Essay Examples

Best Science Essay Examples to Learn From

Published on: May 3, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 31, 2024

Share this article

Are you struggling to write a science essay that stands out? 

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by scientific jargon and complicated concepts? 

You're not alone. 

Science essays can be a challenge for even the most dedicated students. It's no wonder that so many students struggle to produce top-notch papers.

But fear not! 

In this blog post, we'll provide you with some science essay examples and tips. We will help you write a top-notch paper that impresses your professor and earns you a high grade. 

So buckle up and get ready to tackle science essays like a pro!

On This Page On This Page -->

Science Essay Examples for Students

Writing a science essay can be a daunting task for students. However, with the right guidance and examples, it can also be a rewarding and enlightening experience.

Here, we'll provide you with examples so you can elevate your own writing.

Science Essay Example SPM

Scientific Essay Example Pdf (Insert

Science Paper Example

Science Project Essay Example

Science Essay Examples for Different Subjects

Science is a vast field that encompasses many different subjects, from biology to physics to chemistry. As a student, you may find yourself tasked with writing a science essay on a subject that you're not particularly familiar with. 

We have provided you with science essay examples for different subjects to help you get started.

Social Science Essay Example

Political Science Essay Example

Environmental Science Essay Example

Health Science Essay Example

Computer Science Essay Example

University Science Essay Examples

Science essays are important part of university-level education. However, different universities may have different requirements and expectations when it comes to writing these essays. 

That's why we've compiled some science essay examples for different universities. You can see what works and what doesn't, and tailor your own writing accordingly.

Scientific Essay Example University

Mcmaster Health Science Essay Example

Cornell Arts And Science Essay Example

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Structure of a Science Essay

Science essays are a crucial part of many subjects, and learning to structure them effectively is essential for achieving academic success. 

Let’s explore scientific essay structure.

Introduction

The introduction of a science essay should introduce the topic and provide some context for the reader. 

You should explain the purpose of the essay and provide a thesis statement that outlines the main argument you will make in the essay. A good introduction should also capture the reader's interest and motivate them to read on.

Check out these how to start a science essay examples for better understanding:

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of a science essay should provide evidence to support the thesis statement. You should use scientific evidence, research, and data to support your argument. 

Each paragraph should focus on one key point, and the points should be organized logically to create a coherent argument. It is essential to provide citations for all sources you use in your essay.

Here is an example for you:

The conclusion of a science essay should summarize the main points of the essay and restate the thesis statement in a compelling manner. 

You should also provide some final thoughts or recommendations based on the evidence presented in the essay. 

The conclusion should be concise and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Natural Science Essay Topics

There are countless interesting, thought-provoking and problem solving essay topics in science.

Explore some compelling natural science essay topics to inspire your writing.

Science Essay Topics for 5th Graders

• The importance of recycling for our environment
• The different types of clouds and how they form
• How animals hibernate during the winter months
• The different types of rocks and how they are formed
• The role of bees in pollination and food production
• How light travels and how we see objects
• The properties of magnets and how they work
• The different stages of stem cell research 
• The human digestive system and how it works
• The effects of pollution on our environment and health

Science Essay Topics for 6th Graders

• The impact of climate change on the planet
• The different types of energy and how they are produced
• The importance of water conservation and management
• The role of artificial intelligence in human life
• The structure and function of the human respiratory system
• The properties and uses of acids and bases
• The effect of light on plant growth and development
• The differences between renewable and non-renewable energy sources
• The process of photosynthesis and its importance for life on Earth
• The impact of technology on the environment and society

Science Essay Topics for 7th Graders

• The structure and function of the human circulatory system
• The different types of fossils and how they are formed
• The impact of natural disasters on the environment and human life
• The pros and cons of bacteria in our bodies and in the environment
• The physics of sound and how it travels
• The effects of air pollution in United States
• The properties and uses of different types of waves (sound, light, etc.)
• The process of cell division and its role in growth and repair
• The structure and function of the human nervous system
• The different types of ecosystems and their unique characteristics

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Tips for Writing a Science Essay

Writing a science essay can be challenging, especially if you don't have much experience in writing academic papers. 

However, with the right approach and strategies, you can produce a high-quality science essays. 

Here are some tips to help you write a successful science essay:

Understand the assignment requirements: Before you start writing your essay, make sure you understand the assignment requirements. Read the prompt carefully and make note of any specific guidelines or formatting requirements.

Choose a topic that interests you: Writing about a topic that you find interesting and engaging can make the process enjoyable and rewarding. Consider topics that you have studied in class or that you have a personal interest in.

Conduct thorough research: To write a successful science essay, you need to have a deep understanding of the topic you are writing about. Conduct thorough research using reliable sources such as academic journals, textbooks, and reputable websites.

Develop a clear and concise thesis statement: Your thesis statement should clearly state your argument or position on the topic you are writing about. It should be concise and specific, and should be supported by evidence throughout your essay.

Use evidence to support your claims: When writing a science essay, it's important to use evidence to support your claims and arguments. This can include scientific data, research findings, and expert opinions.

Edit and proofread your essay: Before submitting your essay, make sure to edit and proofread it carefully. Check for spelling and grammatical errors. Ensure that your essay is formatted correctly according to the assignment requirements.

In conclusion, this blog has provided a comprehensive guide to writing a successful science essay. 

By following the tips, students can produce high-quality essays that showcase their understanding of science.

If you're struggling to write a science essay or need additional assistance, CollegeEssay.org is one of the best online essay services to help you out,

Our expert writers have extensive experience in writing science essays for students of all levels. 

So why wait? Contact our science essay writing service today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a science essay.

Some common mistakes to avoid include:

• Plagiarizing content
• Using incorrect or unreliable sources
• Failing to clearly state your thesis
• Using overly complex language 

How can I make my science essay stand out?

To make your science essay stand out, consider choosing a unique or controversial topic. Using relevant and up-to-date sources, and present your information in a clear and concise manner. You can also consider using visuals such as graphs or charts to enhance your essay.

What should I do if I'm struggling to come up with a topic for my science essay?

If you're struggling to come up with a topic for your science essay, consider discussing potential topics with your instructor or classmates. You can also conduct research online or in academic journals to find inspiration.

How important is research when writing a science essay?

Research is an essential component of writing a science essay. Your essay should be grounded in accurate and reliable scientific information. That is why it's important to conduct thorough research using reputable sources.

Can I use personal anecdotes or experiences in my science essay?

While personal anecdotes or experiences can be engaging, they may not always be relevant to a science essay. It's important to focus on presenting factual information and scientific evidence to support your argument or position.

Caleb S. (Law, Literature)

Caleb S. has extensive experience in writing and holds a Masters from Oxford University. He takes great satisfaction in helping students exceed their academic goals. Caleb always puts the needs of his clients first and is dedicated to providing quality service.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Legal & Policies

• Privacy Policy
• Cookies Policy
• Terms of Use
• Refunds & Cancellations
• Our Writers
• Success Stories
• Our Guarantees
• Affiliate Program
• Referral Program
• AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

Natural Science Essays

The challenges of taking knowledge out of its original context, popular essay topics.

• American Dream
• Artificial Intelligence
• Black Lives Matter
• Bullying Essay
• Career Goals Essay
• Causes of the Civil War
• Child Abusing
• Civil Rights Movement
• Community Service
• Cultural Identity
• Cyber Bullying
• Death Penalty
• Depression Essay
• Domestic Violence
• Freedom of Speech
• Global Warming
• Gun Control
• Human Trafficking
• I Believe Essay
• Immigration
• Importance of Education
• Israel and Palestine Conflict
• Leadership Essay
• Legalizing Marijuanas
• Mental Health
• National Honor Society
• Police Brutality
• Pollution Essay
• Racism Essay
• Romeo and Juliet
• Same Sex Marriages
• Social Media
• The Great Gatsby
• The Yellow Wallpaper
• Time Management
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Violent Video Games
• What Makes You Unique
• Why I Want to Be a Nurse
• Send us an e-mail

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

13.7 Cosmos & Culture

The power of science and the danger of scientism.

No matter what face you put on it, science is a powerful tool. Here, engineer Marcus Hold works on a nearly completed RoboThespian . Marvels of modern science, these fully interactive and multilingual humanoid robots are increasingly being sold to academic research groups. Matt Cardy/Getty Images hide caption

No matter what face you put on it, science is a powerful tool. Here, engineer Marcus Hold works on a nearly completed RoboThespian . Marvels of modern science, these fully interactive and multilingual humanoid robots are increasingly being sold to academic research groups.

Can you be a strident defender of science and still be suspicious of the way it is appropriated within culture? Can you be passionate about the practice and promise of science, yet still remain troubled by the way other beliefs and assumptions are heralded in its name? If such a thing is possible, you may be pro-science but anti-scientism . And, if that is the case, then Steven Pinker may have just pissed you off. But, as we'll see, it might be hard to tell.

Scientism is getting a lot of play these days. It's a difficult word to pin down because it takes on a wide range of meanings depending on who is throwing it around. According to Merriam-Webster online , scientism is:

an exaggerated trust in the efficacy of the methods of natural science applied to all areas of investigation (as in philosophy, the social sciences, and the humanities).

Thus, scientism is the "science can explain everything," (or, at least, "science explains everything important"), kind of position some folks take in arguments about religion, philosophy, the value of the humanities, etc.

Steven Pinker has now waded into the scientism debate with a New Republic essay entitled " Science Is Not Your Enemy : An impassioned plea to neglected novelists, embattled professors, and tenure-less historians." For Pinker there really is no such thing as scientism, which, he claims, is "more of a boo-word than a label for any coherent doctrine."

The problem with Pinker's essay is that his main purpose is to convince friends in the humanities (history, literature, etc.) that adoption of methods from the science side of the campus poses no threat to their disciplines. On the contrary, data mining of historical records, he would claim, may shed new light on the mechanisms of history. And Pinker is clear about the importance of the humanities when he states:

No thinking person should be indifferent to our society's disinvestment from the humanities, which are indispensable to a civilized democracy.

If this were all there was to the scientism debates then I, for one, wouldn't see much need to weigh-in. Pinker says a lot that is eminently reasonable in the essay. But there is a much deeper question about science and culture and Pinker seems to step right over this bumpy ground without even noticing.

Pinker speaks about a sense of recrimination against science for its place in human life. He cites his own experience of such attitudes as a professor at Harvard:

When Harvard reformed its general education requirement in 2006 to 2007, the preliminary task force report introduced the teaching of science without any mention of its place in human knowledge: "Science and technology directly affect our students in many ways, both positive and negative: they have led to life-saving medicines, the internet, more efficient energy storage, and digital entertainment; they also have shepherded nuclear weapons, biological warfare agents, electronic eavesdropping, and damage to the environment." This strange equivocation between the utilitarian and the nefarious was not applied to other disciplines. (Just imagine motivating the study of classical music by noting that it both generates economic activity and inspired the Nazis.) And there was no acknowledgment that we might have good reasons to prefer science and know-how over ignorance and superstition.

What Pinker fails to see in this passage is that it is precisely the enormous power and the enormous success of science that put it in a unique position for misuse by those who claim to speak in its name.

Over the last four centuries the practice we call science has utterly reshaped human civilization in ways that have no precedent. Science, on its own, is simply a practice, it's a method for asking questions finding answers. It's a way to approach the world. The ability to harness that practice to create powerful change (via wealth creation or military power) has always carried its own dangers.

The efficacy of science generates a powerful attraction for advocates of (often unspoken) philosophical assumptions. These are people who seek to cloak their beliefs in the legitimacy of the scientific enterprise. This is where scientism raises its ugly head.

Pinker is right to argue, as he does, that science can't be blamed for the stupidities of social Darwinism, eugenics or the communist insistence that it had found a science of history. But his easy dismissal of scientism as a "boo-word" misses the point that science gets used within culture for more than just legitimate purposes. In fact it's the very efficacy of its tools that allows cultural misappropriations of science to go unnoticed.

Part of this misappropriation comes from thinking that, since science is so good at providing explanations, explanations are all that matter. It's an approach that levels human experience in ways that are both dangerous and sad. In discussions of human spirituality and science, for example, it leads to cartoon arguments between Richard Dawkins and fundamentalists about who started the universe. Missing are the varieties of reasons people feel "spiritual" longing that have nothing to do with asking how the moon got there.

The power and promise of science is not compromised by understanding that we live in a world saturated by its fruits and poisons. Pinker is quite right that scientism is not a coherent doctrine. But that doesn't mean the term is empty.

Scientism is an unfortunate consequence of the success science has had explaining the natural world. It would, in fact, be useful to clarify how scientism manifests itself. That would help us understand the damage it does to the real project that lies ahead of us: building space for the full spectrum of human being in a culture fully shaped by science.

You can keep up with more of what Adam Frank is thinking on Facebook and on Twitter: @AdamFrank4

• Steven Pinker

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

Essay on Nature: In 100 Words, 200 Words, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 13, 2023

Nature is the intricate web of life that surrounds us, encompassing everything from the air we breathe to the majestic landscapes we admire. It includes the delicate balance of ecosystems, the diversity of flora and fauna, and the natural resources that sustain all living beings on Earth. Exploring the beauty and significance of nature is not only a pleasurable endeavour but also a crucial one, as it reminds us of our responsibility to protect and preserve our environment.

Table of Contents

• 1 Tips to Write the Best Essay
• 2 Essay on Nature in 100 Words
• 3 Essay on Nature in 200 Words
• 4 Essay on Nature in 300 Words

Tips to Write the Best Essay

Here are some tips to craft an exceptional essay:

• Understand the Topic: Grasp the essence of the topic and its different aspects before you start writing.
• Structure: Organize your essay coherently, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Thesis Statement: Formulate a strong thesis statement that summarizes the main point you want to convey.
• Use Vivid Language: Employ descriptive language to bring the beauty of nature to life for your readers.
• Supporting Evidence: Back up your points with facts, statistics, and examples to make your essay more convincing.
• Variety of Ideas: Discuss different perspectives and dimensions of the topic to showcase a comprehensive understanding.
• Proofread: Edit your essay for grammar, punctuation, and clarity before submitting it.

Essay on Nature in 100 Words

Nature is a precious gift, encompassing all living and non-living entities. It provides us with air, water, food, and shelter. The beauty of nature soothes our souls and brings us closer to the marvels of creation. However, human activities are threatening the delicate balance of ecosystems, leading to pollution, deforestation, and climate change. It’s our responsibility to protect and preserve nature for future generations to enjoy its wonders.

Essay on Nature in 200 Words

Nature is the ultimate source of inspiration and sustenance for all life forms on Earth. From the smallest microorganisms to the tallest trees, every aspect of nature plays a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of our planet. The diversity of flora and fauna, the intricate ecosystems, and the natural resources provide us with food, shelter, and even the air we breathe.

Despite its undeniable importance, human activities are wreaking havoc on nature. Deforestation, pollution, and excessive use of natural resources are causing irreparable damage to our environment. Climate change, triggered by human-induced factors, is resulting in extreme weather events and rising sea levels, endangering both human and animal habitats.

Preserving nature is not a choice; it’s a necessity. The responsibility to conserve nature lies in the hands of every individual. Planting trees, reducing waste, using sustainable resources, and raising awareness about the importance of nature are steps we can take to mitigate the damage.

Nature has provided us with boundless beauty and resources, but it’s up to us to ensure its survival. By respecting and nurturing the natural world, we can secure a healthier and more vibrant planet for current and future generations.

Essay on Nature in 300 Words

Nature is a symphony of vibrant life forms and dynamic ecosystems that create a harmonious and intricate web of existence. The lush greenery of forests, the tranquil blue of oceans, the diverse habitats of animals, and the breathtaking landscapes remind us of the sheer magnificence of the world we inhabit. It’s a world that offers us both solace and sustenance, making our survival intertwined with its preservation.

The ecosystem services provided by nature are immeasurable. The forests act as the lungs of the Earth, producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide. Wetlands filter our water, providing us with clean and fresh sources of hydration. Bees and other pollinators enable the growth of crops, contributing to global food security.

However, the rampant disregard for nature’s delicate balance is leading to alarming consequences. The relentless deforestation for urbanization and agriculture is causing habitat loss, leading to the extinction of numerous species. The excessive emission of greenhouse gases is driving climate change, with rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns threatening vulnerable communities.

To ensure the well-being of our planet and future generations, conservation and sustainable practices are imperative. Afforestation and reforestation efforts must be intensified to restore lost ecosystems. Transitioning to renewable energy sources can reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. Moreover, raising awareness and fostering a deep connection with nature can instil a sense of responsibility and inspire positive action.

In conclusion, nature is not merely a resource for human exploitation; it’s a complex and interconnected system that sustains life in all its forms. We must recognize our role as custodians of the environment and act with diligence to protect and preserve it. By embracing sustainable practices and fostering a profound respect for nature, we can secure a future where the world’s natural wonders continue to thrive.

Nature encompasses the entirety of the physical world and its components, including landscapes, flora, fauna, air, water, and ecosystems. It encompasses the natural environment and all living and non-living elements that shape and sustain life on Earth.

Nature is vital for our survival, providing resources like air, water, and food. It maintains ecological balance, supports biodiversity, and offers inspiration and solace. However, human activities threaten its delicate equilibrium, necessitating conservation efforts.

Saving nature requires planting trees, reducing waste, using sustainable resources, and raising awareness about its importance. Adopting renewable energy sources, practising responsible consumption, and fostering a connection with nature are crucial steps in its preservation.

We hope that this essay blog on Nature helps. For more amazing daily reads related to essay writing , stay tuned with Leverage Edu .

Manasvi Kotwal

Manasvi's flair in writing abilities is derived from her past experience of working with bootstrap start-ups, Advertisement and PR agencies as well as freelancing. She's currently working as a Content Marketing Associate at Leverage Edu to be a part of its thriving ecosystem.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Nature Essay for Students and Children

500+ words nature essay.

Nature is an important and integral part of mankind. It is one of the greatest blessings for human life; however, nowadays humans fail to recognize it as one. Nature has been an inspiration for numerous poets, writers, artists and more of yesteryears. This remarkable creation inspired them to write poems and stories in the glory of it. They truly valued nature which reflects in their works even today. Essentially, nature is everything we are surrounded by like the water we drink, the air we breathe, the sun we soak in, the birds we hear chirping, the moon we gaze at and more. Above all, it is rich and vibrant and consists of both living and non-living things. Therefore, people of the modern age should also learn something from people of yesteryear and start valuing nature before it gets too late.

Significance of Nature

Nature has been in existence long before humans and ever since it has taken care of mankind and nourished it forever. In other words, it offers us a protective layer which guards us against all kinds of damages and harms. Survival of mankind without nature is impossible and humans need to understand that.

If nature has the ability to protect us, it is also powerful enough to destroy the entire mankind. Every form of nature, for instance, the plants , animals , rivers, mountains, moon, and more holds equal significance for us. Absence of one element is enough to cause a catastrophe in the functioning of human life.

We fulfill our healthy lifestyle by eating and drinking healthy, which nature gives us. Similarly, it provides us with water and food that enables us to do so. Rainfall and sunshine, the two most important elements to survive are derived from nature itself.

Further, the air we breathe and the wood we use for various purposes are a gift of nature only. But, with technological advancements, people are not paying attention to nature. The need to conserve and balance the natural assets is rising day by day which requires immediate attention.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conservation of Nature

In order to conserve nature, we must take drastic steps right away to prevent any further damage. The most important step is to prevent deforestation at all levels. Cutting down of trees has serious consequences in different spheres. It can cause soil erosion easily and also bring a decline in rainfall on a major level.

Polluting ocean water must be strictly prohibited by all industries straightaway as it causes a lot of water shortage. The excessive use of automobiles, AC’s and ovens emit a lot of Chlorofluorocarbons’ which depletes the ozone layer. This, in turn, causes global warming which causes thermal expansion and melting of glaciers.

Therefore, we should avoid personal use of the vehicle when we can, switch to public transport and carpooling. We must invest in solar energy giving a chance for the natural resources to replenish.

In conclusion, nature has a powerful transformative power which is responsible for the functioning of life on earth. It is essential for mankind to flourish so it is our duty to conserve it for our future generations. We must stop the selfish activities and try our best to preserve the natural resources so life can forever be nourished on earth.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [ { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Why is nature important?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Nature is an essential part of our lives. It is important as it helps in the functioning of human life and gives us natural resources to lead a healthy life.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How can we conserve nature?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “We can take different steps to conserve nature like stopping the cutting down of trees. We must not use automobiles excessively and take public transport instead. Further, we must not pollute our ocean and river water.” } } ] }

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Natural sciences

TOK Home > Free TOK notes > Areas of knowledge > Natural sciences

Welcome to the natural sciences section of the site. This page will help you to take ownership of the natural sciences via a quick overview, and four padlets that offer you quotes, knowledge questions, real-world issues, and key thinkers relating to this area of knowledge.

You can use this content both to understand this component of TOK, and support discussions and arguments that you offer in your essay and exhibition.

Natural sciences: a quick overview

The natural sciences are dedicated to the systematic exploration and understanding of the physical world and the laws that govern it. This area of knowledge encompasses disciplines like physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy, that all seek to uncover the mysteries of the natural universe. This AOK links to many key concepts.

Certainty  plays a central role in the natural sciences, as they seek to establish empirical and predictable patterns in the physical world.  Explanation  involves deciphering the underlying principles and mechanisms that govern natural phenomena. The concept of  objectivity  emphasizes the importance of unbiased observation and impartial analysis in the pursuit of scientific knowledge.

Two influential thinkers in the natural sciences from diverse backgrounds are Marie Curie and Albert Einstein. Marie Curie, a Polish-born physicist and chemist, made groundbreaking contributions to the study of radioactivity and was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Albert Einstein, a German-born physicist, revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and the universe through his theory of relativity.

Contemporary issues in the natural sciences often revolve around ethical considerations and the responsible use of scientific advancements. Discussions about  genetic engineering and CRISPR technology  raise questions about the ethical boundaries of manipulating the genetic code and the potential consequences for future generations. Additionally, the exploration of  climate change and sustainability  underscores the need for scientific solutions to address urgent global environmental challenges.

Engaging with the natural sciences within TOK invites students to explore the wonders of the physical world, embrace the certainty of empirical evidence, and critically examine the ethical implications of scientific discoveries. It underscores the importance of objectivity, universal truths, and the ethical considerations inherent in the pursuit of scientific knowledge.

1 QUOTES Who wrote “Art is I; science is we”?

Explore these quotes on the natural sciences by a wide range of different thinkers. Which quotes are the most and least insightful? How they challenge our assumptions about natural sciences? What do they reveal about links between natural sciences and other aspects of the TOK course?

2 KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS Is science characterised by content, or method?

Identifying and exploring knowledge questions (KQs) is at the heart of TOK, prompting us to reflect on our knowledge, evaluate whether it’s be based on a flawed or incomplete assumptions, and provide us with a focus point to improve our understanding of the world.

3 REAL-WORLD ISSUES Should organisms be named after humans?

These examples will help you to understand how TOK ideas manifest in the real-world, take ownership of natural sciences, link TOK to the latest global issues, and become an authentic critical thinker . They will also help you to justify and explore the discussions you offer in your essay and exhibition.

4 KEY THINKERS Is Stuart Firestein right that science develops haphazardly?

The thinkers in this padlet will help you to consolidate your understanding of the natural sciences, and challenge your assumptions about the world. You can also draw on their ideas to support your essay and exhibition discussions, and add depth and authority to the claims you make about knowledge.

HUMAN SCIENCES: DEEPER DIVES

Follow these links to access a range of notes, essays, and observations. Use them to research this AOK, and hone your essay arguments.

• 1 Theories and thinkers on the natural sciences
• 2 How do we acquire knowledge in the natural sciences?
• 3 What qualifies a method as scientific?
• 4 How has scientific progress shaped our worldview?

Subscribe to the free TOK newsletter!

Subscribe to our free newsletter, and collect fantastic examples to help you understand the key TOK ideas, support your essay and exhibition, and make you an authentic critical thinker .

You’ll encounter some of the most important thinkers from the past and the present, go beyond the headlines of contemporary events and issues around the globe, and see how TOK concepts manifest in the real-world. Subscribe HERE !

• 1-888-302-2840
• 1-888-422-8036
• Natural Science
• Your research paper is written by certified writers
• Your requirements and targets are always met
• You are able to control the progress of your writing assignment
• You get a chance to become an excellent student!

Essay Details:

Essay text:

They can infer the appearance of these creatures in life-like detail as they existed millions of years ago. They can investigate their diet. And they can find out about the way dinosaurs interacted both among themselves and with their environment. Despite the frequent media attention given to discoveries of dinosaur bones, especially skulls, the truth is that such fossils are rare, much rarer than fossils of most plants and invertebrate animals. Thus, although bones are of great interest, if we had no other evidence, we would have a much less accurate picture of the dinosaurs than we in fact possess...

Calculate a fair price for your order

Do you need an essay?

A professional team of writers is able to craft custom essays from scratch according to your instructions. We are ready to satisfy writing needs of every demanding customer.

Do you need many essays?

The product provided is intended to be used for research or study purposes. Get instant access to over 200,000 papers.

Common topics in this essay:

• Museum project
• Wendy's Chili Finger Case Study
• Case Study Analysis Of Royal Ahold Scandal
• Metropolitan Museum Of Art - Case Study
• Royal Caribbean Case Study
• area of study; justice
• Witch-hunting or woman-hunting? To what extent can the gender imbalance in witchcraft accusations in Europe be attributed to misogyny?
• Dallas Museum of Art Project
• Physical Geography Of Saskatchewan
• The American Museum Of Natural History: Anthropology
• Natural Science: Methods Of Gaining Knowledge
• Case study - Australian Royal Navy
• Should There Be A Nuclear Power Plant In Saskatchewan?
• Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd: Hbr Case Study

Feedback of people who used our services.

My experience with ManyEssays.com is extremely satisfying! I was amazed on your user-friendly website which is very helpful. I have also happy on how your customer service experts ...

I would like to say thank you for the level of excellence on providing written works. My University required us a very difficult paper using a very specific writing format and ...

I am happy with the results your company gives. ManyEssays.com is the best place for essays!

I was given by my professor a very difficult essay assignment and I really don’t know what to do. I needed help and ManyEssays.com came at the right time. I quickly availed your ...

I am very happy on the excellent job your writers did on my thesis. It was beautiful in every way, it was a literary masterpiece! Everything was done according to instructions and ...

A top-notch organization all the way and a model in excellent service, your company is. The level of expertise in your field is exceptional as you have in your employment the best ...

Your writing service is so amazing! I was skeptic at first on how your company provides result, but my skepticism gradually vanished immediately after you had finished one task in ...

Your services were an important factor for my academic advance during my college years. I really thank you that you were there when I needed help in my term paper. Your company ...

Similar Essays:

Neuroscience

The melting brain

It’s not just the planet and not just our health – the impact of a warming climate extends deep into our cortical fissures

Clayton Page Aldern

The rhythms of a star system inspire a pianist’s transfixing performance

Computing and artificial intelligence

Mere imitation

Generative AI has lately set off public euphoria: the machines have learned to think! But just how intelligent is AI?

Watch as Japan’s surplus trees are transformed into forest-tinted crayons

Illness and disease

Empowering patient research

For far too long, medicine has ignored the valuable insights that patients have into their own diseases. It is time to listen

Charlotte Blease & Joanne Hunt

Seeing plants anew

The stunningly complex behaviour of plants has led to a new way of thinking about our world: plant philosophy

Stella Sandford

Sex and sexuality

Sexual sensation

What makes touch on some parts of the body erotic but not others? Cutting-edge biologists are arriving at new answers

David J Linden

A spectacular, close-up look at the starfish with a ‘hands-on’ approach to parenting

Human reproduction

When babies are born, they cry in the accent of their mother tongue: how does language begin in the womb?

Darshana Narayanan

Technology and the self

A filmmaker finds a tactile beauty in the creation of her prosthetic leg

An Indigenous myth and a geological survey elicit two ways of knowing one place

Beetles take flight at 6,000 frames per second in this perspective-shifting short

War and peace

A war meteorologist’s riveting account of how the Allies averted a D-Day disaster

Politics and government

Governing for the planet

Nation-states are no longer fit for purpose to create a habitable future for humans and nature. Which political system is?

Jonathan S Blake & Nils Gilman

What does it look like to hunt for dark matter? Scenes from one frontier in the search

We are not machines

Welcome to the new post-genomic biology: a transformative era in need of fresh metaphors to understand how life works

Philip Ball

Progress and modernity

In praise of magical thinking

Once we all had knowledge of how to heal ourselves using plants and animals. The future would be sweeter for renewing it

Anna Badkhen

An elegy for a dying microbe explores what we really mean by ‘death’

History of technology

Learning to love monsters

Windmills were once just machines on the land but now seem delightfully bucolic. Could wind turbines win us over too?

Stephen Case

Biotechnology

It’s our responsibility to engineer corals that can weather the world we’ve created

Imagining spacetime as a visible grid is an extraordinary journey into the unseen

Engineering

For one of nature’s great builders, finding a mate means weaving the perfect nest

History of science

His radiant formula

Stephen Hawking’s greatest legacy – a simple little equation now 50 years old – revealed a shocking aspect of black holes

Roger Highfield

What is intelligent life?

Our human minds hold us back from truly understanding the many brilliant ways that other creatures solve their problems

Abigail Desmond & Michael Haslam

Choose a Pricing Option

Grade 9: past papers (section-by-section).

U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia

Social / search.

Yekaterinburg & Sverdlovsk Oblast

History, Politics, and Economics

Yekaterinburg lies at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, east of the slopes of the Ural Mountains in central Russia. The continental divide is 30 kilometers west of the city. Yekaterinburg is Russia’s third or fourth largest city with a population of 1.5 million. It was founded in 1723 and is named for Peter the Great’s wife, Catherine I. Peter recognized the importance of Yekaterinburg and the surrounding region for the rapid industrial development necessary to bolster Russia’s military power.Today, Yekaterinburg is primarily known both as a center of heavy industry and steel-making, the Russian equivalent of Pittsburgh, and as a major freight transportation hub. Its major industries include ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemicals, timber, and pulp and paper. Yekaterinburg has long been an important trading center for goods coming from Siberia, Central Asia and Europe. The city also has a reputation as a center of higher education and research. The Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences is located there with its 18 institutes and numerous research facilities linked to industry. Yekaterinburg is also well known as a center for the performing arts. Its Opera and Ballet Theater dates back to 1912. The Urals Philharmonic Orchestra is the largest symphony orchestra in central Russia.

Yekaterinburg is the capital of Sverdlovsk Oblast (an oblast is the equivalent of a American state). Economically, Sverdlovsk is among 10 of the 89 administrative subdivisions of the Russian Federation that are net contributors to the federal budget. Sverdlovsk has produced many prominent political figures, including Russia’s first President, Boris Yeltsin, and Russia’s first elected Governor, Eduard Rossel. Since the establishment of the Russian Federation, Sverdlovsk Oblast has been one of the nation’s leaders in political and economic reform. In 1996, Sverdlovsk became the first oblast to conclude agreements with the Federal Government granting it greater political autonomy and the right to conduct its own foreign economic relations.

Economic reform has gathered momentum in Sverdlovsk Oblast. The majority of Sverdlovsk’s industries have been privatized. 75% of enterprises are at least partially owned by private interests. About three-quarters of retail sales and industrial output is generated by private enterprise. Services have grown to 40 percent of oblast GDP, up from only 16 percent in 1992. About 25,000 small businesses are registered in the oblast. Small businesses make up about one-third of the construction, trade and food service.

Industry and Natural Resources

Sverdlovvsk Oblast, like most of the Urals region, possesses abundant natural resources. It is one of Russia’s leaders in mineral extraction. Sverdlovsk produces 70% of Russia’s bauxite, 60% of asbestos, 23% of iron, 97% of vanadium, 6% of copper and 2% of nickel. Forests cover 65% of the oblast. It also produces 6% of Russia’s timber and 7% of its plywood. Sverdlovsk has the largest GDP of any oblast in the Urals. The oblast’s major exports include steel (20% of its foreign trade turnover), chemicals (11%), copper (11%), aluminum (8%) and titanium (3%). In terms of industrial output, Sverdlovsk ranks second only to Moscow Oblast and produces 5% of Russia’s total. Ferrous metallurgy and machine-building still constitute a major part of the oblast’s economy. Yekaterinburg is well known for its concentration of industrial manufacturing plants. The city’s largest factories produce oil extraction equipment, tubes and pipes, steel rollers, steam turbines and manufacturing equipment for other factories.

Non-ferrous metallurgy remains a growth sector. The Verkhnaya Salda Titanium Plant (VSMPO) is the largest titanium works in Russia and the second largest in the world. A second growth sector is food production and processing, with many firms purchasing foreign equipment to upgrade production. The financial crisis has increased demand for domestically produced foodstuffs, as consumers can no longer afford more expensive imported products. Many of Yekaterinburg’s leading food processors — including the Konfi Chocolate Factory, Myasomoltorg Ice-Cream Plant, Myasokombinat Meat Packing Plant and Patra Brewery — have remained financially stable and look forward to growth.

Foreign Trade and Investment

Sverdlovsk Oblast offers investors opportunities mainly in raw materials (metals and minerals) and heavy industries (oil extraction and pipeline equipment). There is also interest in importing Western products in the fields of telecommunications, food processing, safety and security systems, and medicine and construction materials. Both Sverdlovsk Oblast and Yekaterinburg city officials have encouraged foreign investment and created a receptive business climate. The oblast has a Foreign Investment Support Department and a website which profiles over 200 local companies. The city government opened its own investment support center in 1998 to assist foreign companies. Despite local efforts, foreign investors face the same problems in Yekaterinburg as they do elsewhere in Russia. Customs and tax issues top the list of problem areas.

Sverdlovsk Oblast leads the Urals in attracting foreign investment The top five foreign investors are the U.S., UK, Germany, China and Cyprus. About 70 foreign firms have opened representative offices in Yekaterinburg, including DHL, Ford, IBM, Proctor and Gamble, and Siemens. Lufthansa airlines has opened a station in Yekaterinburg and offers three flights per week to Frankfurt.

America is Sverdlovsk’s number one investor with $114 million in investment and 79 joint ventures. The three largest U.S. investors are Coca-Cola, Pepsi and USWest. Coca-Cola and Pepsi both opened bottling plants in Yekaterinburg in 1998. USWest has a joint venture, Uralwestcom, which is one of Yekaterinburg’s leading companies in cellular phone sales and service. America is Sverdlovsk Oblast’s number one trading partner. In 1998, Boeing signed a ten-year titanium supply contract valued at approximately $200 million with the VSMPO titanium plant. Besides the U.S., Sverdlovsk’s top trading partners include Holland, Kazakhstan, Germany and the UK.

Yekaterinburg, like most of Russia, has a continental climate. The city is located at the source of the Iset River and is surrounded by lakes and hills. Temperatures tend to be mild in summer and severe in winter. The average temperature in January is -15.5C (4F), but occasionally reaches -40C (-40F). The average temperature in July is 17.5C (64F), but occasionally reaches 40C (104F). Current weather in Yekaterinburg from  http://www.gismeteo.ru/ .

• Sverdlovsk Oblast Map
• Yekaterinburg Map

Footer Disclaimer This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Study at Cambridge

About the university, research at cambridge.

• Undergraduate courses
• Events and open days
• Fees and finance
• Postgraduate courses
• How to apply
• Postgraduate events
• Fees and funding

International students

• Continuing education
• Executive and professional education
• Courses in education
• How the University and Colleges work
• Term dates and calendars
• Visiting the University
• Annual reports
• Equality and diversity
• A global university
• Public engagement
• Give to Cambridge
• For Cambridge students
• For our researchers
• Business and enterprise
• Colleges & departments
• Email & phone search
• Museums & collections
• Undergraduate Study
• Student life overview
• Why Cambridge
• Accommodation
• Sport and societies
• Courses overview
• Choosing a course
• How you will learn
• Careers and graduate prospects
• Subject A-Z
• Colleges overview
• What is a College?
• Choosing a College
• College contacts
• Area links scheme
• Finance overview
• Tuition fees
• Living costs
• Financial support
• Music awards
• Applying overview
• Application timeline
• Before you apply
• After you apply
• AI and undergraduate applications
• International overview
• Chat with our students
• Why Cambridge?
• What can I study?
• Entry requirements
• Tuition fees and costs
• International visits and events
• Visas and immigration
• Year abroad
• Get in touch!
• Open Days and Events overview
• Upcoming events
• Cambridge Open Days
• Virtual Tour
• Think Cambridge
• Applicant Webinar Series
• Subject Masterclasses
• Teachers and advisers' events
• HE fairs and exhibitions
• Find out more overview
• Sign up to our Newsletter
• Widening participation

Parents and supporters

Teachers and advisers

• Getting here
• Why Cambridge overview
• Study facilities and libraries
• Cambridge explained
• Support overview
• College welfare

Disabled students

Mature students

• Counselling
• Care leavers overview
• Travel Fund
• Young carers
• Student parents and childcare
• Estranged students
• Area links scheme overview
• East Midlands overview
• Leicester City
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Northamptonshire
• Nottinghamshire
• East of England overview
• Bedfordshire
• Cambridgeshire
• Hertfordshire
• Peterborough
• Southend-on-Sea
• Greater London overview
• Barking and Dagenham
• City of London
• City of Westminster
• Hammersmith and Fulham
• Kensington and Chelsea
• Tower Hamlets
• Waltham Forest
• North East overview
• Middlesbrough
• North Tyneside
• Northumberland
• Redcar and Cleveland
• South Tyneside
• Stockton-on-Tees
• North West overview
• Blackburn with Darwen
• Telford and Wrekin
• Northern Ireland
• South East overview
• Bracknell Forest
• Milton Keynes
• Oxfordshire
• Southampton
• Isle of Wight
• Buckinghamshire
• West Berkshire
• South West overview
• Bath and North East Somerset
• Bournemouth
• Gloucestershire
• North Somerset
• South Gloucestershire
• Wales overview
• North Wales
• Mid and South Wales
• West Midlands overview
• Herefordshire
• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Wolverhampton
• Worcestershire
• Yorkshire and Humber overview
• East Yorkshire
• Huddersfield and Kirklees
• Kingston-upon-Hull
• North East Lincolnshire
• North Lincolnshire
• North Yorkshire
• Isle of Man
• Living costs overview
• Study costs
• Financial support overview
• Cambridge financial support
• Government financial support
• Family contribution
• Outreach Scholarships overview
• Stormzy Scholarship
• Formula 1 Scholarship
• Geography Scholarship
• Clare College Area Links Scholarships
• Student Funding and Sharia Law
• Music awards overview
• Choral awards overview
• Instrumental awards overview
• Organ scholarships overview
• College vacancies and course restrictions
• When are the auditions and interviews?
• What do the Organ Trials involve?
• How do I apply?
• Further information
• Choosing high school subjects
• Improve your application
• Entry requirements overview
• Qualifications we accept
• Sixth Term Exam (STEP)
• International entry requirements
• Application statistics
• Mature student applications
• Second undergraduate degrees
• UCAS application
• Admission tests overview
• Clinical aptitude test (UCAT)
• Law test (LNAT)
• Engineering and Science test (ESAT)
• Mathematics test (TMUA)
• College admission assessments
• My Cambridge Application overview
• Providing a transcript
• Disruption to your studies
• Written work and portfolios
• Cambridge interviews overview
• Prepare for an interview
• Application decisions overview
• Admissions Policy
• Unspent criminal convictions
• Contextual data
• Outcome of your application overview
• Terms of Admission
• Admissions complaints
• After you get your exam results overview
• Information for new students
• Applying for reconsideration overview
• Reconsideration eligibility criteria
• Tuition fees and costs overview
• International financial support
• International visits and events overview
• Cambridge Open Days overview
• Open Days Programme, September 2024 overview
• College sessions
• General support
• Open Days FAQ
• Teachers and advisers' events overview
• Teachers and Advisers' Webinars
• Teachers and Advisers' Conference
• Widening participation overview
• Access and Participation Plans
• Insight Discover
• Insight Explore
• Sutton Trust Summer Schools
• Apply: Cambridge
• Safeguarding
• Parents and supporters overview
• Parents' Newsletter
• Teachers and advisers overview
• How similar are Oxford and Cambridge?
• Helping students prepare
• School/college reference
• Teachers' Newsletter
• Events for Teachers and Advisers
• Inspiring Educator Awards

Natural Sciences, BA (Hons) and MSci

• Student life
• International
• Open Days and Events
• Find out more

Natural Sciences at Cambridge

Natural Sciences is a broad course that gives you the opportunity to study physical and biological sciences from 16 different departments.  

The course is flexible, which means you can study a range of new and familiar areas in the sciences before choosing a subject, or two, to specialise in.  

You’ll have the option to study a wide range of physical and biological science subjects from 16 different departments: 

• Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics 
• Biochemistry 
• Biology (faculty) 
• Earth Sciences 
• History and Philosophy of Science 
• Materials Science and Metallurgy 
• Pharmacology 
• Physiology, Development and Neuroscience 
• Plant Sciences 
• Psychology 

During your first and second year you will study a variety of subjects, some of which may be completely new to you.  

You can change your mind about which subject to specialise in as you progress through the course.  

You can choose to study purely biological sciences, purely physical sciences or a combination of both.  

If you discover a passion for a new subject, such as Earth Sciences or Materials Science, you will be able to continue with it after your first year.

Choosing between Natural Sciences Biological and Physical

When you apply, you’ll need to tell us whether you’re interested in Biological or Physical Sciences. We use this information in the admissions process.

Your choice of application stream, and the courses that you are currently studying, will affect the types of questions that are asked at interview.

It is best to apply for Physical Sciences if you have studied Physics and Maths A levels. This is because your interview will be on subjects that you have already studied.

On the course, you can take physical and biological science options. But you won’t choose which subjects to study within the Natural Sciences course until you arrive.

There are A levels requirements for some of the first year options. Check the requirements for Year One options.

Teaching and facilities

We have some of the world’s best scientists, teaching and researching at the very forefront of current scientific knowledge. They are working on tackling some of the most important challenges of our times. 

We’ll teach you to become a scientist who progresses their area of science, someone with their own ideas and opinions. 

Some of our research includes: 

• searching for life’s origins on Earth and attempting to discover it on planets beyond Earth 
• using newly developed microscopy method to see for the first time how protein clusters form in living cells 
• understanding astronomical forcing of climate change records as recorded in oceanic sediments 
• understanding how adverse environments experienced in early development leave a lasting legacy with impacts on later and intergenerational health 
• facilitating the early detection of hard-to-diagnose diseases using new sequencing technology that spots the changes in the genes that mark the onset of these diseases 

The 16 departments that contribute to the Natural Sciences course have a variety of teaching and research facilities. 

These include: 

• lecture theatres, classrooms and seminar rooms 
• teaching laboratories 
• a wide variety of study and social spaces 

In your final year, you can access active research labs for your project work.

Course costs

When you go to university, you’ll need to consider two main costs – your tuition fees and your living costs (sometimes referred to as maintenance costs).

Your living costs will include costs related to your studies that are not covered by your tuition fees. There are some general study costs that will apply for all students – you can find details of these costs here .

Other additional course costs for Natural Sciences are detailed below. If you have any queries about these costs, please contact the course team.

• University approved scientific calculator - estimated cost £25
• Lab coat - estimated cost £13 to £16
• Safety glasses - estimated cost £4 to £7

Field trips

• Year 1 Earth Sciences field course (required) - estimated cost £105
• Year 1 Evolution and Behaviour field course (optional) - estimated cost £50 plus travel

For years 2, 3 and 4, any additional costs will depend on the options taken. You can find details on the course website . 

Your future career

You’ll be well prepared for life beyond Cambridge, whichever pathway you choose. 

This course prepares students well for the challenges of research, especially in emerging, interdisciplinary areas. Around half of our graduates continue with further study or research, based on the Graduate Outcomes survey. 57% of Natural Science graduates who completed their studies between August 2020 and July 2021 responded to the survey. 

The other half of our graduates go directly into a broad range of careers, including: 

• product development 
• investment banking 
• management consultancy

You will be taught through lectures and practical laboratory classes. You'll also have supervisions and complete projects, coursework and field work for some courses. 

In your first year, you will usually attend 12 lectures a week and have 1 supervision a week for each of your 4 courses. As well as this, you’ll take part in practical labs. 

In your second year, you will typically attend 9 lectures a week and have 1 supervision a week for each of your 3 courses. 

Depending on the courses you choose, you’ll also take on practical labs, project work and/or coursework. The frequency of your practical labs will depend on your courses. 

The organisation of teaching in the third and fourth years will vary depending on the course. 

You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques. These include: 

• unseen written examinations 
• assessed practicals 
• assessed coursework 
• experiment write-ups 
• literature and experimental reports 
• marked essays 
• oral examinations 
• project reports and presentations 

You won't usually be able to resit any of your exams. 

Year 1 (Part IA)

You can study a range of different subjects in your first year. However, you may need to have certain A levels or IB to study some of them. 

Check the entry requirements for the Year 1 subjects you’d like to study. 

You will choose three science subjects from these areas: 

• Biology of Cells 
• Evolution and Behaviour 
• Materials Science 
• Physics     
• Physiology of Organisms 

You can also choose to take Psychology, subject to timetable restrictions and student numbers.  

You will also take one of the two mathematics subjects: 

• Mathematics focusing on Physical sciences  
• Mathematics focusing on Biological sciences 

Year 2 (Part IB) 

You will take three subjects, from the following areas: 

• Animal Diversity 
• Cell Biology 
• Chemistry A: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry 
• Chemistry B: Organic, Inorganic and Biological Chemistry 
• Conservation 
• Developmental Biology 
• Earth Sciences A: Igneous and metamorphic processes, mineralogy and planetary differentiation 
• Earth Sciences B: Climate, geobiology, geophysics and the sedimentary record 
• Environmental Sciences: Quantitative Approaches 
• Mathematics 
• Mathematical and Computational Biology 
• Microbiology 
• Molecular Biology 
• Neurobiology 
• Physics A: Waves, Quantum Mechanics, Condensed Matter Physics 
• Physics B: Dynamics, Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics 
• Physiology 

Year 3 (Part II) 

You can choose to follow a broad subject in Biological or Physical Sciences, or you can choose to specialise in one of these areas: 

• Astrophysics  
• Earth Sciences  
• History and Philosophy of Science  
• Neuroscience 

Please note that some Year 3 subjects have limited numbers due to the size of the laboratory space.  

Year 4 (Part III) 

These subjects offer a fourth year option, which lead to an MSci degree: 

• Biochemistry  
• Chemistry  
• Systems Biology 
• Quantitative Climate and Environmental Science 

For further information about studying Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge see the Natural Sciences course website. 

Changing course

It’s really important to think carefully about which course you want to study before you apply. 

In rare cases, it may be possible to change course once you’ve joined the University. You will usually have to get agreement from your College and the relevant departments. It’s not guaranteed that your course change will be approved.

You might also have to:

• take part in an interview
• complete an admissions test
• produce some written work
• achieve a particular grade in your current studies
• do some catch-up work
• start your new course from the beginning 

For more information visit the Natural Sciences course website .

You can also apply to change to:

• Management Studies at the Judge Business School

You can't apply to this course until you're at Cambridge. You would usually apply when you have completed 1 year or more of your original Cambridge course.

You should contact your College’s Admissions Office if you’re thinking of changing your course. They will be able to give you advice and explain how changing courses works.

Minimum offer level

A level: A*A*A IB: 41-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level Other qualifications : Check which other qualifications we accept .

Subject requirements

To apply to any of our Colleges for Natural Sciences, you will need A levels/IB Higher Levels (or the equivalent) in: 

• 2 other science or mathematics subjects (please see lists below for College specific requirements). 

Colleges may require you to achieve A*/7 in Chemistry and/or another science or mathematics subject. 

Please note, ‘science/mathematics subjects’ refers to Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and (A Level only) Further Mathematics. If you’re studying a science not listed above as your third subject, please contact the College you wish to apply to for advice. 

Some Colleges have specific requirements beyond the minimum offer level and subject requirements listed above.

College specific requirements: Biological Sciences 

• Christ’s: Chemistry
• Churchill: A*/7 in Further Mathematics or Mathematics and A*/7 in Biology and/or Chemistry   
• Corpus Christi: A* in Biology 
• Emmanuel: Chemistry 
• Jesus: A* in Biology 
• Lucy Cavendish: A* in Mathematics and A* in Chemistry 
• Pembroke: Biology 
• Robinson: Biology 

College specific requirements: Physical Sciences 

• Christ’s: 2 of Chemistry, Physics or Further Mathematics
• Churchill: A Level, A* in Further Mathematics, if available at school/college (otherwise A* in Mathematics), and A* in Chemistry and/or Physics; IB, 7 in Higher Level Mathematics and 7 in Higher Level Chemistry and/or Higher Level Physics 
• Corpus Christi: A*/7 in Mathematics and A*/7 in Chemistry or Physics 
• Fitzwilliam: Physics 
• Jesus: A*/7 in Chemistry or Physics 
• King’s: Chemistry or Physics. A*/7 in Mathematics
• Lucy Cavendish: A* in Mathematics 
• Robinson: 2 of Chemistry, Physics or Further Mathematics 

Subject requirements for Year 1 options 

Your subject choices at A level (or equivalent) may restrict your Year 1 subject choices. The more useful subject combinations are: 

• A level Chemistry, A level Mathematics and A level Physics 
• A level Physics, A level Mathematics and A level Further Mathematics 
• A level Biology, A level Chemistry and A level Mathematics 

Please note that some subjects have essential or desirable subject requirements in order for you to be allowed to take them. Details of these requirements can be found on the Natural Sciences website .

International Baccalaureate 

The advice above about A level subject combinations also applies to the IB. 

• Higher Level subjects will satisfy A level subject requirements 
• For Natural Sciences (Physical), if taking Higher Level Mathematics, applicants are expected to take Analysis and Approaches. If this option is not available at your school, please contact the College that you wish to apply to directly for further advice and guidance. 
• For Natural Sciences (Biological), if taking Higher Level Mathematics, we recommend Analysis and Approaches for the most competitive application, however Applications and Interpretations will also be considered.  

What Natural Sciences students have studied

Natural Sciences (Biological)

Most Natural Sciences (Biological) students (who had studied A levels and started at Cambridge in 2018, 2019 and 2023) achieved at least A*A*A* (76% of entrants).

Nearly all of these students took Mathematics (99%). Please note that Mathematics is now a required subject.

Other common subjects were:

• Biology (98%)
• Chemistry (97%)
• Further Mathematics (36%)
• Physics (29%)

In addition to Mathematics A levels, the percentage of entrants taking:

• all 3 of Biology, Chemistry and Physics was 23%
• 2 of the sciences 74% (of which 95% took Chemistry and Biology)
• only one of the sciences was 1%. Please note that two sciences are now a requirement.

The majority of students who studied IB achieved at least 43 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.

Natural Sciences (Physical)

Most Natural Sciences (Physical) students (who had studied A levels and started at Cambridge in 2018, 2019 and 2023) achieved at least A*A*A* (97% of entrants).

All of these students took Mathematics. Other common subjects were:

• Physics (97%)
• Further Mathematics (92%)
• Chemistry (89%)
• Biology (9%)
• all 3 of Biology, Chemistry and Physics was 8%
• 2 of the sciences 81% (of which 98% took Physics and Chemistry)
• only one of the sciences was 10%. Almost all of these students took Further Mathematics. Please note that it is now a requirement to study Mathematics and two other science or mathematics subjects.

Check our advice on choosing your high school subjects . You should also check if there are any required subjects for your course when you apply.

Admissions test

All applicants for Natural Sciences for 2025 entry are required to take the Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) at an authorised assessment centre. You must register in advance for this test.

Please see the admissions test page for more information.

Check the NSAA page for further details and example papers.

Submitted work

You won't usually be asked to submit examples of written work. You may be asked to do some reading prior to your interview, but if this is required the College will provide full details in your interview invitation.

Offers above the minimum requirement

The minimum offer level and subject requirements outline the minimum you'll usually need to achieve to get an offer from Cambridge.

In some cases, you'll get a higher or more challenging offer. Colleges set higher offer requirements for a range of reasons. If you'd like to find out more about why we do this, check the information about offers above the minimum requirement  on the entry requirements page.

Some Colleges usually make offers above the minimum offer level. Find out more on our qualifications page .

All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant  College admissions office  if you have any queries.

Discover your department or faculty

• Visit the Natural Sciences website - The Natural Sciences website has more information about this course, facilities, people and research.

Explore our Colleges

• Find out how the Colleges work - A College is where you’ll live, eat and socialise. It’s also where you’ll have teaching in a small group, known as supervisions.
• How to change a Cambridge College that's right for you - If you think you know which course you’d like to study, it’s time to choose a College.

Visit us on an open day

• Book an open day - Get a feel for the city and the University.
• Find an event - We offer a range of events where you can find out more about Cambridge, Colleges, and your course. Many of our events have hybrid options so you can join us virtually.

Find out how to apply

• Find out how to apply and how our admissions processes work - Our admissions process is slightly different to other universities. We’ve put together a handy guide to tell you everything you need to know about applying to study at Cambridge.
• Improve your application - Supercurricular activities are a great way to engage with your chosen subject outside of school or college.

Discover Uni data

Contextual information.

Discover Uni allows you to compare information about individual courses at different higher education institutions.  This can be a useful method of considering your options and what course may suit you best.

However, please note that superficially similar courses often have very different structures and objectives, and that the teaching, support and learning environment that best suits you can only be determined by identifying your own interests, needs, expectations and goals, and comparing them with detailed institution- and course-specific information.

We recommend that you look thoroughly at the course and University information contained on these webpages and consider coming to visit us on an Open Day , rather than relying solely on statistical comparison.

You may find the following notes helpful when considering information presented by Discover Uni.

• Discover Uni relies on superficially similar courses being coded in the same way. Whilst this works on one level, it may lead to some anomalies. For example, Music courses and Music Technology courses can have exactly the same code despite being very different programmes with quite distinct educational and career outcomes. Any course which combines several disciplines (as many courses at Cambridge do) tends to be compared nationally with courses in just one of those disciplines, and in such cases the Discover Uni comparison may not be an accurate or fair reflection of the reality of either. For example, you may find that when considering a degree which embraces a range of disciplines such as biology, physics, chemistry and geology (for instance, Natural Sciences at Cambridge), the comparison provided is with courses at other institutions that primarily focus on just one (or a smaller combination) of those subjects.You may therefore find that not all elements of the Cambridge degree are represented in the Discover Uni data.
• Some contextual data linked from other surveys, such as the National Student Survey (NSS) or the Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE), may not be available or may be aggregated across several courses or several years due to small sample sizes.  When using the data to inform your course choice, it is important to ensure you understand how it has been processed prior to its presentation. Discover Uni offers some explanatory information about how the contextual data is collated, and how it may be used, which you can view here: https://discoveruni.gov.uk/about-our-data/ .
• Discover Uni draws on national data to provide average salaries and employment/continuation data.  Whilst starting salaries can be a useful measure, they do not give any sense of career trajectory or take account of the voluntary/low paid work that many graduates undertake initially in order to gain valuable experience necessary/advantageous for later career progression. Discover Uni is currently piloting use of the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data to demonstrate possible career progression; it is important to note that this is experimental and its use may be modified as it embeds.

The above list is not exhaustive and there may be other important factors that are relevant to the choices that you are making, but we hope that this will be a useful starting point to help you delve deeper than the face value of the Discover Uni data.

Key information

All Colleges

Cambridge Admissions Office

• Cambridge Admissions Office Student Services Centre New Museums Site Cambridge CB2 3PT
• Events: [email protected]
• General admissions: [email protected]
• Students chat

About this site

Our website

Privacy policy

Participant data and booking policies

Information for

Care leavers and estranged students

© 2024 University of Cambridge

• Contact the University
• Accessibility
• Freedom of information
• Privacy policy and cookies
• Statement on Modern Slavery
• Terms and conditions
• University A-Z
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• Research news
• About research at Cambridge
• Spotlight on...

• History & Society
• Science & Tech
• Biographies
• Animals & Nature
• Geography & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Games & Quizzes
• On This Day
• One Good Fact
• New Articles
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• World History
• Health & Medicine
• Browse Biographies
• Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
• Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
• Environment
• Fossils & Geologic Time
• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Sports & Recreation
• Visual Arts
• Demystified
• Image Galleries
• Infographics
• Top Questions
• Britannica Kids
• Saving Earth
• Space Next 50
• Student Center

• Did Anastasia escape her executors?
• How did Anastasia die?
• How did Nicholas II change the world?

Yekaterinburg

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• Yekaterinburg - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Recent News

Yekaterinburg , city and administrative center of Sverdlovsk oblast (region), west-central Russia . The city lies along the Iset River, which is a tributary of the Tobol River , and on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains , slightly east of the border between Europe and Asia . Yekaterinburg is situated 1,036 miles (1,667 km) east of Moscow .

Near the village of Shartash, which was founded in 1672 by members of the Russian sect of Old Believers, an ironworks was established in 1721 and a fortress in 1722. In 1723 the new settlement was named Yekaterinburg in honor of Catherine I , the wife of Peter I the Great . The town grew as the administrative center for all the ironworks of the Urals region, and its importance increased after 1783, when the Great Siberian Highway was built through it. After 1878 the Trans-Siberian Railroad linked the city with Siberia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 (October), Yekaterinburg achieved notoriety as the scene of the execution of the last tsar , Nicholas II , and his family in July 1918. In 1924 it was renamed Sverdlovsk in honor of the Bolshevik leader Yakov M. Sverdlov, but the city reverted to its original name in 1991.

Modern Yekaterinburg is one of the major industrial centers of Russia, especially for heavy engineering. The Uralmash produces heavy machinery and is the city’s largest enterprise; it once employed some 50,000 workers, though it now has a small fraction of that number. Engineering products manufactured in the city include metallurgical and chemical machinery, turbines, diesels, and ball bearings . During the Soviet period the city was a major center of biological and chemical warfare research and development . There is a range of light industries, including a traditional one of gem cutting. Food processing is also important. The city, laid out on a regular gridiron pattern, sprawls across the valley of the Iset—there dammed to form a series of small lakes—and the low surrounding hills.

Yekaterinburg is an important railway junction, with lines radiating from it to all parts of the Urals and the rest of Russia. The city is the leading cultural center of the Urals and has numerous institutions of higher education , including the Urals A.M. Gorky State University (founded 1920), a conservatory, and polytechnic, mining, forestry, agricultural, law, medical, and teacher-training institutes. The Urals branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and many scientific-research establishments are also located there. Boris Yeltsin , the first democratically elected president of Russia, was educated and spent much of his political career in the city. Pop. (2005 est.) 1,304,251.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts

Collection  04 November 2019

Essay series: Lessons from 150 years of science

In this collection of essays published to mark Nature’s 150th anniversary, leading historians explore how the past century and a half has forged some of the defining features of today’s scientific system.

We ignore the past at our peril

To navigate the present, we must heed the lessons of history.

Discovery is always political

David Kaiser traces the roots of government support for science, in the first of a series of essays on how the past 150 years have shaped the research system, marking Nature ’s 150th anniversary.

• David Kaiser

China: How science made a superpower

Shellen Wu traces the rise of the dominant force in science, in the second of a series of essays on the ways in which the past 150 years have shaped today’s research system, marking Nature ’s anniversary.

How science has shifted our sense of identity

Biological advances have repeatedly changed who we think we are, writes Nathaniel Comfort, in the third essay of a series marking Nature ’s anniversary on how the past 150 years have shaped science today.

• Nathaniel Comfort

Data — from objects to assets

How did data get so big? Through political, social and economic interests, shows Sabina Leonelli, in the fourth essay on how the past 150 years have shaped the science system, marking Nature ’s anniversary.

• Sabina Leonelli

Can marketplace science be trusted?

Historian Paul Lucier traces the explosion and fragmentation of industrial research in the fifth essay in a series on how the past 150 years have shaped today’s science system, marking Nature’ s anniversary.

• Paul Lucier

Ethical research — the long and bumpy road from shirked to shared

From all too scarce, to professionalized, the ethics of research is now everybody’s business, argues Sarah Franklin in the sixth essay in a series on how the past 150 years have shaped science, marking Nature ’s anniversary.

• Sarah Franklin

Science must move with the times

Research cannot fulfil its social contract and reach new horizons by advancing on the same footing into the future, argues Philip Ball in the last essay of a series on how the past 150 years have shaped today’s science system, to mark Nature ’s anniversary.

• Philip Ball

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies