MathPlayer
Math Player is a browser plug-in that supports MathML, an XML-based language used to encode mathematical symbols and equations for displaying on the Web. Developed by Design Science, the software can be downloaded for free at this site.
MultiMedia Schools
"MultiMedia Schools (MMS) is a practical how-to magazine sharply focused on the needs of school practitioners." It is published six times a year, and roughly half of its articles are made available for free online. In the last issue of 2002, the editorial offers suggestions for how school media specialists can take advantage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Other articles discuss a proposed technology-integrated teaching system, tools and techniques to continuously improve and adapt to c
The Pherobase
The Pherobase was developed by Dr. Ashraf El-Sayed, a research scientist at HortResearch in New Zealand, with the primary objective of providing "coverage of the literature published on chemical communication in insects." The Pherobase is intended for use by both scientific and non-scientific communities and currently contains "over 10000 entries, around 3000 molecules, and over 32000 static html pages that make it the world's largest database of behavior modifying chemicals." The site contains
USGS: National Geochemical Survey Database
The USGS's National Geochemical Survey (NGS) is producing "a body of geochemical data for the United States based primarily on stream sediments, analyzed using a consistent set of methods." After learning the history and background of the project, users can access the NGS data by geographic area. The website allows researchers to compare the analytical methods and view national maps illustrating the distribution of these methods for each element. Visitors can easily view maps of the distribution
Australian Antarctic Data Centre
The Australian Antarctic Division is part of the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Heritage. Within the department's Web site is the Australian Antarctic Data Centre, which makes all scientific observations and results freely available. Data topics include weather, GIS and mapping, marine science, flora and fauna, and many other topics related to the southern continent.
A Net Meltdown is Inevitable
On October 22, 2002, an attack on the thirteen servers that act as the backbone of the Internet was carried out, briefly disabling nine of them. This drew attention to the often criticized organization that operates these servers, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This news article argues that bad practices and insufficient safety precautions of ICANN may soon lead to a more successful attack, one that could cripple the Net. It also stresses the importance of refor
The Global Sun Temperature Project
This website created by Stevens Institute of Technology and the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) allows students from around the world to work together to determine how average daily temperatures and hours of sunlight change with distance from the equator. Upper elementary, middle, and high school students can participate in the Global Sun Temperature Project from March 18 to June 3, 2005. Educators can find project information, lesson plans, and implementation
The World Information Network on Biodiversity
The World Information Network on Biodiversity (REMIB) is organized and provided by Mexico's National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of the Biodiversity. REMIB is a network of shared biological information databases from research centers in Mexico, the US, Costa Rica, and Spain. The databases contain "curatorial, taxonomic, ecological, cartographic, bibliographic, ethno-biological type, use of catalogues on natural resources and other subject matters." Currently, REMIB gathers information o
Top 20 Activities in Chemistry
At this website, Quia furnishes 20 interactive activities to educate students about chemistry. Students can play matching, word, and concentration games to learn the names and formulas of binary ionic compounds, element symbols, common names of chemicals, and other basic chemistry concepts. The website also offers a quiz about chemical bonds, a chemistry Jeopardy game, a Battleship game about balancing equations, and much more. While users can subscribe to customize the activities, the free acti
Scientific American Frontiers: Make Up Your Mind
This Web site is the online complement to Make Up Your Mind, a recently aired episode of the PBS series Scientific American Frontiers. This site would be a great addition to classroom material on brain anatomy and function, and could be tailored for a broad range of grade levels. Features include a Teaching Guide with downloadable activities and a quiz (for grades 5-8), plus Web links and other references. Users can also watch the entire documentary online, and view related stories from earlier
Hot Topics: Alcohol
This Web site from the BBC provides a multi-faceted exploration of the science of alcohol. Visitors may browse eight detailed pages relating the science of alcohol production, how alcohol is absorbed and processed by the body, what happens when you've had too much, and much more. The clear yet detailed content of this site goes far to clear up alcohol-related misconceptions and misinformation. Other features include alcohol trivia, a quiz, movie and audio clips of alcohol-related BBC documentari
Multiflyer
Multiflyer is an interactive game "for anyone who is trying to learn or 'brush up on' their multiplication." The user is in a virtual space ship and is faced with several missions on the moon, Mars, the asteroid belt, and more. To advance to each subsequent mission, the correct coordinates need to be calculated. This is where multiplication is necessary, and the user is provided with an excellent opportunity to practice the multiplication tables. The game is complete with attractive space enviro
2001 Annual Energy Review
The US Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) describes itself as providing policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment. The EIA Web site provides many informational pages and publications including the newly released 2001 Annual Energy Review. The report covers fossil fuels, nuclear electricity, renewable energy, and t
Seaworld: Water
An educational lesson plan entitled Water is offered by the Seaworld teacher resources Web site. Objectives of the unit include having students identify the three phases of water, discuss the hydrologic cycle, describe the structure of the water molecule and the properties of water, explain ocean currents, and more. The well designed lesson allows students to study various topics by reading provided text and completing the activities described such as measuring salt content in water and estimati
Music Acoustics
The Music Acoustics Web site is maintained by the University of New South Wales School of Physics. General topics covered include what a decibel is, what interference beats are, what a sound spectrum is, what acoustic impedance is, and others. Specific instrument questions are also answered, such as waves in strings, flute and clarinet acoustics, Helmholz resonance, and pipes and harmonics. This very interesting site, with its many illustrations and animations, along with its easily-read text, a
Two Updates on Stem Cell Research
In a recent press briefing, stem cell research pioneers James Thomson and John Gearhart announced that, despite political obstacles and limited funding, stem cell research is progressing and clinical trials on human beings should begin within the next five years. The Why Files chronicles the first five years of embryonic stem cell research, covering the science, the politics, and the ethical issues behind this contentious topic (and a closer look at the both the promise and doubt in adult stem c
Frontline: Dangerous Prescription
In the recent PBS broadcast Dangerous Prescriptions, Frontline "investigates the integrity of America's drug safety system." The documentary (viewable in its entirety online) explores "the FDA's handling of several drugs that were approved but later were pulled from the market after causing injuries and even deaths." The companion website offers a look at how the FDA works and details of its recent record, based on interviews with current and former FDA officials. Also, readers may share their t
Wildlife Conservation Society: In the Wild
In the Wild is a Web feature of the Wildlife Conservation Society, a nonprofit organization working to conserve "wildlife and wild places by working on all fronts through its international conservation programs, living institutions, and pioneering environmental education programs." This Web site presents a new, comprehensive map of the human footprint, or "patterns of human influence across the land's surface." Recently published in Bioscience, the study reveals that human beings "directly influ
net.TUTOR
This site from Ohio State University offers fifteen interactive tutorials that teach effective Internet practices and research methodologies. The tutorials can require up to 30 minutes each, since they provide many good examples and activities. The first few cover basic Internet tools, like Web browsers and email. Essential searching skills are introduced in the next section. A particularly valuable tutorial describes ways to evaluate a site's credentials and determine if the material is accurat
The Chesapeake Bay Program
This Web site is the online presence of the Chesapeake Bay Program, "a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay." The site offers a wealth of information regarding the region's flora and fauna, habitats and ecosystem processes, restoration efforts, current events, and much more. For instance, click on Animals and Plants to access pages and pages of well-organized information about the area's shellfish, reptiles, mammals, insects, bay grasses, in
