Classroom Antarctica
As part of the Australian Antarctic Division, Classroom Antarctica gives dozens of downloadable Adobe Acrobat files that allow students to discover this unique continent. Subjects include the history of the scientific research undertaken on Antarctica, surviving its climate, its biological ecosystem, the lands physical characteristics and affects on climate, and much more.
The New Zealand Geographic Place Names Database
The New Zealand Geographic Place Names Database, offered by Land Information New Zealand, contains more than 40,000 official and non-official place name entries from the mainland of New Zealand. Searches can be done by partial name or by location; results yield a description of the place (such as a beach or hill), its district, and its latitude/longitude. Additional searches can also be done to include all place names surrounding an area. Although intended to assist in the production of core top
Digital Signal Processing Tools
A collection of seven Java applets and associated tutorials are available on this site from the Signals and Systems Group at the University of Edinburgh. The tools illustrate various concepts of digital signal processing, like convolution, correlation, the Fourier transform, and discrete-time applications of each. Seven other applets that demonstrate more advanced concepts are also available, but no documentation or explanation accompanies them. A few conference publications and reports related
Fibre Optics Technology
As part of the Flexible Learning on the Internet initiative, this Web page gives a very descript overview of fiber optics technology. The site covers everything from fiber optics manufacturing to its technological capabilities. Several basic equations that govern fiber optics properties and operation are mentioned, but the material is not overly mathematical. It explains how light travels through the cable as a signal and how a fiber's structure effects the propagation of light. Three video clip
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
SuperWASP: Wide Angle Search for Planets
"SuperWASP is the UK's leading extra-solar planet detection program comprising of a consortium of seven academic institutions." The website presents how SuperWASP works through clear text and helpful images. Researchers can find technical information on the Torus Fork Mount, CCD Cameras, and the Enclosure. Students and educators can discover the common techniques the Program uses to detect exoplanets such as pulsar timing and photometry. The website offers a gallery of images, the latest Program
Sky Chart
The Sky and Telescope Web site, which is the companion site to the long running magazine of the same name, hosts the online interactive Sky Chart. Users can choose from any location on earth by inputting a city or a latitude and longitude, after which they then choose the direction they want to view in the sky. The tool allows anyone to view an image of the sky from any location on earth, which is pretty darn cool. The ease of use is another highlight of the Sky Chart, making it easily accessibl
The Center for Watershed Protection
The Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) "provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation's most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes, and rivers." The CWP website offers a number of online, open-access resources, including technical reports, case studies and watershed assessment protocols. Users will find detailed guidelines for measuring watershed vulnerability, assessing stream quality,
Database of Zeolite Structures
The Database of Zeolite Structures is provided by the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association. Links include an Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types, Collection of Simulated XRD Powder Patterns for Zeolites, Catalog of Disordered Zeolite Structures, Schemes for Building Zeolite Framework Models, and Zeolite Structure References, as well as various publications. The database can be searched or browsed, and contains several useful tools such as the "input your data" link, which a
The Online Books Page
Hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Library, the Online Books Page Web site "facilitates access to books that are freely readable over the Internet...and aims to encourage the development of such online books, for the benefit and edification of all." The over 18,000 listings can be searched or browsed by author, title, and subject, of which every major physical science subject is represented. Each listing is linked to an outside Web site, making its availability unpredictable, but the shear
Teach R Kids Math: Math for Elementary School Kids
Teach R Kids Math is a Web site with a large assortment of interactive lessons that demonstrate basic mathematical concepts. The material ranges from basic counting for preschoolers to more advanced topics for elementary school students. Online worksheets help children practice multiplication and division, rounding, fractions, number sequences, and much more. Some of the activities are timed, which allows the child to see his/her improvement. The site "has been designed by children and adults,"
Rewind, Repair, Replay: Three R's to Dependability
One of the most important features in current software applications is the undo command, which allows users to revert to previous states in their documents. A relatively unexplored concept involves system undo, a method of restoring settings in a system that were accidentally changed by the operator. This research paper discusses "a model of undo that matches the needs of human error recovery and retroactive repair." The authors begin by explaining the growing importance of such a mechanism and
A Calculus Review
A professor of mathematics at San Jose State University created this online review of calculus concepts. It is divided into three main categories: integration, derivatives, and limits. Each section begins with some review material, explaining the necessary rules and equations. After reading the review, users can then take an interactive quiz over what they just learned. There is one quiz on limits and two on derivatives. The integration section is a bit more in depth, with focuses on two differe
Revolutionizing Science and Engineering through Cyber-Infrastructure
An expert panel from National Science Foundation's (NSF) Advisory Panel on Cyber-Infrastructure released their final report in January 2003. The report seeks to "evaluate current major investments in cyberinfrastructure and its use, to recommend new areas of emphasis relevant to cyberinfrastructure, and to propose an implementation plan for pursuing them." Several key points are made that promote scientific and engineering research and education through technology. The NSF panel argues that rece
Three Clouds Activity
The University of Michigan's educational site called Windows to the Universe (last mentioned in the January 6, 1999 Scout Report for Science and Engineering) has added many new lessons to their content. Highlights of these include two activities centered around cloud formation. The Three Clouds uses items such as a jugs and jars, a plastic bag, an aquarium thermometer, and an overhead projector to explore how clouds form and the relationship between the hydrosphere and human activity.
IPM Super Sleuth
Integrated Pest Management is an agricultural approach which works to minimize the use of pesticides. This interactive, kid-friendly website was created by the IPM Institute of North America to teach students in grades one through seven about Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The site utilizes a combination of word searches, crossword puzzles, matching and concentration games, and quizzes to introduce IPM concepts. The complete 114-page IPM Super Sleuth Document is also available for download. S
TriNet
TriNet is a multi-functional seismic network for earthquake research, monitoring, and computerized alerts. The collaborative project among governmental and educational institutions hopes to "create a better, more effective real-time earthquake information system for Southern California." The main focus of the site is the up-to-date availability of earthquake occurrences shown on various interactive maps of California. Other features available include seismic data, emergency response information,
The Virtual Terrain Project
The Virtual Terrain Project (VTP) homepage has a wealth of information about three dimensional environment rendering, as well as links to many different research efforts and papers about the subject. The project's aim "is to foster the creation of tools for easily constructing any part of the real world in interactive, 3D digital form." Several subtopics are addressed, including plant modeling and realistic ground detailing and texturing. An interesting focus is on cultural aspects of terrain re
ECOTOX Database System
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides this database of chemical toxicity. Three individual EPA databases are combined to provide information on chemical-specific toxicity values for aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Users can search for research reports by chemical name, species name, or environmental effect. The site has informative help files and browse features. This Web site is useful for evaluating industrial chemicals or for environmental assessment research.
The TeraGrid: A Primer
A project of the National Science Foundation, the TeraGrid is "a multi-year effort to build and deploy the world's largest, fastest, distributed infrastructure for open scientific research." This paper, published in September 2002, describes the activities and ongoing projects that will ultimately lead to the project's completion. TeraGrid, as the name implies, is based on principles of grid computing. It will eventually consist of a massive network of computers spread out over several sites tha
