British Geomorphological Research Group
The British Geomorphology Research Group (BGRG) developed this website addressing its "aim to provide a community and services for all those involved in teaching or research in geomorphology." Visitors will find geomorphological news as well as information and links for upcoming international conferences and seminars. Educators can find assistance in promoting geomorphology in schools. The website provides downloads of recent newsletters, which discuss various geomorphological meetings and studi
Speex: A Free Codec for Free Speech
Speex is an audio codec used to compress speech-based audio, and is an open source product that can be freely downloaded at this site. "The Speex Project aims to lower the barrier of entry for voice applications by providing a free alternative to expensive proprietary speech codecs." Extensive documentation and the codec's source code are also available. In addition to the download, this site includes information for developers to contribute to the project. Several audio samples that are compres
Bulletin of American Society of Information Science and Technology
This publication of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST) is released every two months. Some of the articles are specific to ASIST activities, but most examine issues and "non-research developments" that are relevant to anyone with an interest in this field. The June/July 2002 issue has a special section that reviews the recent Summit on Information Architecture. Another notable article is a follow-up to the fourth part of a five part series titled "Information and
Observational Science Branch
The Observational Science Branch (OSB), working within the Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes of the Earth Sciences Directorate at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, conducts research in the oceanic, atmospheric, and terrestrial sciences. "We design, fabricate and operate both remote and in-situ sensing instruments for aircraft, balloons, and rockets. We plan and conduct laboratory and field measurements to improve the fundamental knowledge of earth sensing and to evaluate sensor systems as
Exploratorium Online Exhibits
Although Exploratorium has been previously highlighted several times, the Online Exhibits Web site compiles old and new activities on a single well designed interactive page. From here, students can choose from topics such as seeing, mind, life science, matter/ world, and hearing categories; and then partake in the many activities within each. For example, the squirming palm activity uses Shockwave to spin dots in a direction and tells you to look at your palm after 15 seconds to see that it app
Semiactive Damping of Cables with Sag
Vibrations in support cables can be caused by wind, rain, or other forces acting on the attached structure. This can result in premature failure of the cable or its connections, thereby reducing the cable's useful lifetime. This research paper, from the University of Southern California civil engineering department, extends the previous work of the authors on smart vibration damping techniques. Through accurate modeling of the cable and including the properties of "sag, inclination, and axial fl
Geoscapes Photography
Sometimes learning or at least sparking an interest in a subject can be accomplished through pictures. The Geoscapes Photography Web site by Emeritus Professor of Geology John A. Karachewski contains spectacular photos of various geologic formations from the western US. By clicking on the main gallery link, students can choose from various locations such as northern California, Point Reyes National Seashore, Colorado, and Utah. Each link then contains the photographs and simple descriptions of t
Amedeo: Medical Literature Guide
This Web site from Amedeo, a medical information service, provides convenient literature updates free of charge via email. The registration process is quick and easy: simply select a research area of interest from an extensive list of options, choose from a list of relevant pre-selected journals, and fill out the contact information form. You will then receive a weekly email newsletter that lists newly published journal articles in your area of interest, along with links to downloadable abstract
ORAD Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry
As part of NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, the Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry specializes in the analysis of satellite altimeter data related to problems in physical oceanography and marine geophysics. The Web site provides links to currently active projects with information such as near-real time sea level altimeter data, historical data, European Space Agency data, geophysics data, and more.
Exploring the Nanoworld
From the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center on Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces at the University of Wisconsin-Madison comes this dynamic site. At its core, the site introduces visitors to the tools that allow us to "see" atoms, play with them, and create a variety of "nano-architectural wonders." The site offers a substantial amount of information that supports the user's understanding of how customization of materials can create everything from "atomic trampolines to DNA
Transportation Research Circular: Future Aviation Activities
The 12th International Workshop on Future Aviation Activities was held in September 2002, and this collection of presentation transcripts was released the following January. Many references to the September 11 terrorist attacks are made, especially concerning airport security measures and changes in the public's views of flying. Speakers also addressed long-term trends in air transportation, such as airspace capacity and general aviation growth. Nearly every kind of aviation was discussed; rangi
GIS Internet Resources
Offered by the US Topographical Engineering Center, the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Internet Resources Web site provides links "to GIS companies, associations, and government web pages as well as sources of software, data, publications, and services." While not endorsed by the US Government, this metasite's material gives those readers interested in GIS a great place to start. Organized under sections ranging from Webmapping to Map Libraries to Data Collection, it operates in a similar
Young Engineers: Tomorrow's Ideas Today
This is the official homepage of Young Engineers, "a UK educational charity whose purpose is to inspire young people to recognise the importance and excitement of a career in engineering." Being tailored to British and other UK students, the site contains information on engineering competitions in the region, including coverage of past competitions and details on entering future events. Despite having substantial resources for prospective engineers in the UK, there is plenty of additional materi
Salamander Feeding Movies
This Web site is compiled by salamander biologist Stephan Deban, who offers a look at a number of different feeding strategies used by salamanders. High-speed video clips of twelve different salamander species are available for viewing, accompanied by brief descriptions of each species and their particular feeding behavior. This Web site is easy to navigate and interesting to visit, even for those unfamiliar with the field of salamander biology.
Microbes: Friend or Foe?
This Web site contains the online companion to an episode of the PBS series, Closer to the Truth, which "brings together leading scientists, scholars and artists to debate latest discoveries and their impact on the human condition." Microbes -- Friend or Foe? offers a thought-provoking look at the role of microbes and the importance of "maintaining a microbial balance of power" on the planet. Visitors may download a transcript or view video clips of the episode, or delve deeper into the topic th
University of Essex: Reducing Food Poverty with Sustainable Agriculture
This Executive Summary produced by Jules Pretty and Rachel Hine of the University of Essex in February 2001 provides a summary of evidence from the SAFE-World Research Project. This extensive report includes background reasons for the study such as global food security challenges, information about sustainable agriculture, project methodology, summary of projects and evidence, and conclusions. A sustainable agriculture database, developed through the project, "contained information on 208 cases
Beat the Heat at Arizona Science Center
TryScience.com offers an unique energy learning activity called Beat the Heat. This fun and interactive lesson lets users design a house in a particular location and test it in various seasons to best utilize the heat of the sun for energy efficiency. You can choose various types of roofs, windows, solar panels, skylights, and plants, as well as the direction your house faces, to see how each of these variables effects your home's efficiency. This in-depth and intriguing exercise teaches some ve
Boeing: International Space Station
Boeing, the prime contractor for the International Space Station (ISS), has developed this website to provide information on the technology of the program. The ISS will be more than four times as large as the Russian Mir when completed, and is "the largest, most complex international scientific project in history and our largest adventure into space to date." Boeing is responsible for the design, development, construction and integration of the ISS and assisting NASA in operating the orbital out
The Brighton University Resource Kit for Students
The Brighton University Resource Kit for Students (BURKS) is an archive with "compilers, tutorials and reference manuals for dozens of different programming languages, a dictionary of computing with over 13,000 entries...a vast amount of useful software, information about the Internet itself, and much more." BURKS is primarily intended for individuals who do not have access to an Internet connection, which is why the collection mostly consists of resources from external websites. The collection
Project INTERMATH
Project INTERMATH is an effort to reform undergraduate mathematics and related disciplines through the "use of Interdisciplinary Lively Applications Projects." This involves changing the traditional way that math is taught by moving to a more integrated and applied science. The material presented on the project's Web site reflects this approach. Of particular interest are the Products and Topics sections. The Products section has many specific scenarios that cover multiple areas of mathematics a
