By Mark Cullen 17/3/25
As British Science Week enters its third decade in 2025, celebrations from the 7th to the 16th of March have delivered a vibrant reminder of the theme for this year: ‘Change and Adapt’. It’s a subject that resonates through every facet of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), echoing in classrooms across the nation and beyond. Change and adaptation aren’t merely abstract concepts; they are the very essence of life itself.
In light of this year’s British Science Week theme, our own school community has fully embraced the spirit of change and adaptation through an engaging challenge presented by Mark Cullen, our science and computing teacher, as well as careers lead and communications coordinator. He prompted all learners to unleash their creativity by designing a hybrid animal. The results were both imaginative and inspiring, showcasing the diverse minds within our school.
Particularly noteworthy were the pupils from Ms Jo Flanagan's Y9F form, who fully embraced the task. Their enthusiasm was palpable, and the array of hybrid animals conceived ranged from the fantastical to the strikingly plausible. Three pupils stood out in their designs, winning first, second, and third prizes respectively, showcasing not only their creativity but also their understanding of how different species could adapt new traits in a hybrid form.
This project exemplifies how classrooms can be vibrant incubators for change. Giving students the opportunity to engage with scientific concepts through creative projects allows them to explore the beauty of adaptation, not just in the abstract, but in tangible forms that ignite their imaginations.
Another AI generated hybrid animal created by the Y10 student called the 'Chihuahuahawk' claiming joint first prize
- Walks on 2 legs
- Has feathers
- Hunts prey in the day time
- Has sharp teeth
- Has long whiskers across its spine from its head to its tail
- It is camouflaged
- Lives near mountains
Second prize goes to another student in 9F for his research into Glaucus atlanticus which is a bizarre-looking species of nudibranch, and just like many other nudibranchs, it is notable for its bright coloration. The species floats upside down in the water and feeds on the dangerous Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis), which is infamous for its venomous stingers that can kill fish and sometimes even humans. The blue color of Glaucus atlanticus serves as a form of camouflage, allowing the sea slug to blend in with the blue of the ocean and making it difficult for predators like seabirds flying over the water to spot it.
Joint first prize goes to a pupil in Year 10 for designing the 'Leopard Bug' Hybrid Animal using AI
- Has 4 legs
- Has spots and stripes
- Long neck
- Eats plants – herbivore
- Has big eyes
- Eats at night
- Lives in the jungle.
Joint first prize for a student from 9F for his research about Kenya.
Third prize goes to yet another student from 9F for her drawing of a Manta Ray. Flattened and wider than they are long, manta rays have fleshy enlarged pectoral fins that look like wings; extensions of those fins, looking like a devil’s horns, project as the cephalic fins from the front of the head. Manta rays have short whiplike tails provided, in some species, with one or more stinging spines.