Science · Reading library
Science articles
Short non-fiction articles for reading, discussion and inquiry — each with comprehension questions, key vocabulary and links for further reading.
Making Freshwater from the Sea
Almost every glass of water in Qatar began as seawater. Here is the science that makes that possible.
Coral Reefs in the World's Hottest Sea
Gulf corals survive summer water that would kill reefs anywhere else. Scientists want to know how.
Why the City Stays Warm at Night
Concrete, asphalt and air conditioning combine to keep Doha several degrees warmer than the desert around it.
The Science of a Dust Storm
A wall of dust two kilometres high is a lesson in forces, particles and air quality.
Solar Power Under a Dusty Sun
Qatar receives some of the strongest sunlight on Earth. Turning it into electricity is a problem of photons — and of cleaning.
The Whale Sharks of Al Shaheen
Every summer, hundreds of the world's largest fish gather in Qatari waters. Tuna eggs explain why.
Mangroves: The Quiet Carbon Stores
The grey-green trees at Al Thakhira filter salt, shelter fish and lock carbon into the mud.
How a Camel Beats the Heat
Not a water tank in the hump — something far more elegant.
Reading the Desert Sky
Before satellites, the sky was a calendar, a compass and a clock.
Plastic, Polymers and the Circular Economy
Why the same properties that make plastic useful make it a problem.
How Vaccines Teach the Immune System
A vaccine is not medicine for an illness. It is training for a defence system.
The Water Hidden Under the Desert
Aquifers, rainfall and the arithmetic of a resource that refills slowly.
Cooling a Stadium in the Desert
Air conditioning does not create cold. It moves heat — and that distinction explains the whole design.