Alvaro Antón

This study aims to assess the attention that communication platforms on the internet give to research outputs in the field of biochemistry education. To that end, academic papers in this area that received mentions on digital platforms such as Twitter and Wikipedia, news out-lets and policy documents were identified by a search performed through Altmetric Explorer. In total, nearly six hundred articles with at least one mention on online media were identified from the 1970s to the present. The analysis studies the trend over time regarding the annual number of papers with mentions as well as the Altmetric Attention Score achieved by the papers. The connection between the number of mentions that research papers in the area of biochemistry education received on online media and the citations achieved in scholarly articles is also examined. The results allow identifying the journals that receive more attention from online media as well as the principal digital platforms utilized to disseminate mentions related to research activity in this area. The conclusions suggest that analyzing the attention that online media pays to research outputs in the field of biochemistry education may contribute to appraising scientific production in the area.

The red swamp crayfish is an invasive species that poses significant ecological and economic threats to freshwater ecosystems. In 2014 and 2015, a culling campaign was carried out in a lake in the northern Iberian Peninsula, where more than 165 000 individuals (4029 kg) were captured. Without losing sight of the primary objective of the work (culling), we were authorised to conduct some controlled tests to evaluate the efficiency of traps depending on their location, baiting methods, and the type and amount of bait used. We observed that traps located near reed and rush shorelines were significantly more effective (with captures ranging from 20%-354%) than those located farther from the shore. The use of lake fish as bait resulted in a 39% increase in captures compared with the use of beef heart. Using three portions of bait per trap resulted in a 59% increase in captures compared with using a single portion of bait. Furthermore, we found that when bait was placed in permeable containers that were out of reach of the crayfish's mandibles, the attractiveness of the bait was not reduced, and the number of captures was increased. Improving methods for capturing invasive exotic species, such as red swamp crayfish, is essential for optimising culling efforts and controlling these species.

The killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a crucial predator in marine ecosystems, affecting prey populations and overall ecosystem health. Since May 2020, Iberian killer whales in the Strait of Gibraltar have interacted unusually with pleasure boats, posing significant maritime safety challenges. Recognized as critically endangered by the IUCN, a conservation plan for these whales has been approved in Spain. This study analyzes media coverage of these interactions, as media can shape public opinion and influence policies regarding human–wildlife conflicts. A total of 107 news articles published between June 2022 and September 2024 in Spanish media were examined, focusing on the interactions between Iberian killer whales and boats. The research included six variables from prior studies to enhance understanding of media representation and its effects on conservation management. Findings suggest that media coverage often limits comprehension of orca behavior and their vulnerable status.

Mathematics anxiety, stemming from negative perceptions and feelings of tension among students, significantly impacts academic outcomes and attitudes at all ages, starting from Primary Education. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the existing scientific literature on mathematics anxiety in this context. A bibliometric analysis was developed using the Core Collection of the Web of Science database, resulting in 360 scientific publications. The distribution of publications by journal, institution, country, and authorship, as well as the temporal evolution of them and the co-occurrence of keywords, was analysed and visualised through the SciMAT and VosViewer software. Findings reveal a growing interest in mathematics anxiety within the scientific community, particularly concerning its correlation with gender stereotypes and students’ mathematical perceptions at the primary level. Moreover, the distribution of publications highlights the United States as the primary contributor to this research, with a notable majority of distinguished female authors.

The implementation of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) brought great improvement in river ecological status. However, WWTP effluents still contain a complex cocktail of pollutants whose environmental effects might go unnoticed, masked by other stressors in the receiving waters or by spatiotemporal variability. We conducted a BACI (Before-After/Control-Impact) ecosystem manipulation experiment to assess the effects of a well-treated and highly diluted effluent on diversity and food web dynamics in an unpolluted stream. Although effluent toxicity was low, it reduced diversity, increased primary production and herbivory, and reduced energy fluxes associated to terrestrial inputs. Altogether, the effluent decreased total energy fluxes in stream food webs, showing that treated wastewater can lead to important ecosystem-level changes, affecting the structure and functioning of stream communities even at high dilution rates. Our study highlights the need for further efforts to treat polluted waters to conserve aquatic food webs.

Los retos ambientales a los que nos enfrentamos requieren un cambio de comportamiento de las sociedades actuales y la educación puede jugar un papel muy importante en la estimulación de dicho cambio. Para diseñar programas educativos que impulsen un cambio de comportamiento hacia uno más pro-ambiental, es necesario analizar los factores que pueden determinar el comportamiento ambiental de las personas. Este trabajo pretende avanzar en la descripción de los factores que influyen en la conducta y toma de decisiones pro-ambientales a partir de una encuesta a personas en formación de diferentes edades. Los resultados mostraron que la conducta y toma de decisiones ambientales parece estar ligada a factores no necesariamente relacionados con el nivel de conocimiento, como pudiera ser el componente afectivo. Finalmente, se proponen estrategias para estimular la creación de vínculos afectivos con el ambiente y su problemática que contribuyan al desarrollo de una conducta pro-ambiental.

Los expertos han constatado una pérdida de interés hacia la geología de la población en general que podría estar relacionada con su exclusión progresiva en el currículo básico en la educación obligatoria. Sin embargo, es necesario que el alumnado que finaliza la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) adquiera una correcta alfabetización en Ciencias de la Tierra, en la que entender los procesos geológicos externos y su acción en el relieve es un contenido clave. Este estudio ha evaluado qué procesos geológicos externos se enseñan en la ESO de la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco, mediante el análisis de los libros de texto más utilizados y la realización de cuestionarios al profesorado. Ambas fuentes revelan que el estado actual de su enseñanza muestra deficiencias y necesita mejoras, tales como dedicarle el tiempo y espacio que le corresponde o mejorar la calidad de los textos empleados. Palabras clave: Geología, Procesos geológicos externos, Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, Libros de texto, Docentes. Analysis of teaching external geological processes in the compulsory secondary school of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country Abstract: Experts have noted that the interest of the general population in geology has decreased. This seems to be related to an exclusion of geology from compulsory education curriculum. However, it is mandatory that the students who complete compulsory secondary school acquire a correct literacy in Earth Sciences, in which understanding external geological processes and their action on the relief is a key content. Our study has evaluated which external geological processes are taught in the compulsory secondary school of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. To this end, the most commonly used textbooks were analyzed and teachers were asked to fill out questionnaires. Both sources reveal that the current teaching of this unit shows deficiencies and, consequently, needs improvement in both the quality of the texts used and in the time and space devoted to this unit. Keywords: Geology, Geomorphology, Secondary school, Text books, Teachers.

Biodiversity loss is one of the key issues affecting global change. Although the questions related to the problems associated with alien species are at the root of this problem, this topic does not seem to be sufficiently taken on by society. The objective of this study is to find out the level of incidence of this issue at the school, and whether there is a gap in the education system. A survey conducted among secondary education and high school students and teachers, revealed the presence of difficulties in dealing with the issue in the classroom, particularly those related to the level of knowledge and the lack of interest.

The present study examines a sample of 220 pieces of news related to human evolution, written in Spanish and published over a period of two years, both in digital and print media. The aim of this study is to assess the rigor and coherence of the information in the news in our sample with scientific knowledge on the theory of evolution. To this end, errors and the incorrect use of concepts related to biological evolution are identified, classified according to criteria resulting from the review of previous studies, and finally, the frequency of errors identified in news published in print media is compared with that identified in digital media. The results presented allow us to highlight the significantly high frequency of errors in the news analyzed and the most frequent error categories. Results are discussed within the frame of the important role that scientific journalism plays in the processes of knowledge dissemination, in this case, related to human evolution.

This study examines 102 news items related to collagen as a dietary supplement, written in Spanish and published over a period of 2 years, in both digital and print media. The objective of this study is to evaluate the scientific rigor and consistency of the news information included in the sample. Errors and incorrect uses relative to the current scientific knowledge were identified in the analyzed information, and these errors were classified according to the criteria extracted from previous research. The evidence gathered shows a relevant frequency of errors in the information examined. The results are discussed in light of the role that the media plays in the transmission of beliefs regarding the value of collagen supplements.