Fear of Physics
The Fear of Physics Web site contains more than twenty interactive physics related activities. Everything from things that spin, sound, atoms, collisions, and the Doppler effect are included. The Speed and Acceleration link teaches about movement by allowing users to choose two vehicles and change their position, speed, and acceleration. After pressing the GO button, the program runs, and students get to see how the chosen variables affect the vehicles' movements. A great collection of online le
Air and Space Magazine: How Things Work: Series List
The Air and Space Magazine is a publication of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. This special series of the magazine provides insight into various aspects of aerospace principles and technology. Three articles in this section can be accessed, despite the listing of all seven. First is an overview of winglets on airplanes, describing their purpose and how they increase performance. The second article looks at "devices an aerobatic airplane uses to defy gravity." Lastly, ejection seat
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) website promotes the agency's work to protect human and natural resources in the state. Users can find out the latest Texas environmental news and hot topics. Educators and students can find an abundance of materials dealing with air quality, water quality, and waste. Through the many documents at this website, users can familiarize themselves with the Texas environmental laws and policies. Researchers can learn how to obtain TCEQ data and pub
US Climate Change Science Program
This Web site offers a portal to the recently held Planning Workshop for Scientists and Stakeholders, convened by the Bush administration to set the research agenda for its US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP). Clicking on Library will call up the draft strategic plan for the CCSP, which may be downloaded in whole or in part. The Web site also provides an overview of the meetings and the program, along with various publications and white papers also available to download. Climate change rese
National Pollutant Release Inventory
The National Pollutant Release Inventory is maintained by Environment Canada and provides access to pollutant release information for facilities located throughout Canada. The data can be searched by chemical name and location, and results provide detailed information on the substance, its release, its disposal, and its transfer at a particular facility.
The Illinois Groundwater Association
The Illinois Groundwater Association (IGA) "seeks to advance the knowledge of groundwater resources in Illinois and functions exclusively for charitable and educational purposes." Visitors can read IGA's constitution, by-laws, and its history beginning in 1982. The website provides newsletters describing IGA's latest endeavors and upcoming events. Students and researchers can find out about funding opportunities and employment opportunities. Interested visitors can also find out how to join the
Low Dose Radiation Research
The US Department of Energy's Low Dose Radiation Research Program supports research that investigates the health risks from exposure to radiation at low levels. This Web site provides an overview of radiation biology, up-to-date information and archived results from program-related research, and other resources for the benefit of researchers and the general public alike. Some research projects include comparing low dose radiation to endogenous oxidative damage, determining thresholds for radiati
International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos (IJBC)
The International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos is "widely regarded as the leading journal in the exciting field of chaos and nonlinear science." Feature articles from previous issues are available online as free samples, along with papers and letters, as long as you provide your name and email address. They also offer to send free emails with updates on the current issues's table of contents. Access to the full journal is available only by paid subscription. Links to information on related b
The World: Technology Report
Public Radio International broadcasts "The World," a daily international news program, and a periodic feature of "The World is the Technology Report." This site provides downloadable audio from the four-minute report, which looks at some interesting and obscure technological innovations. The November 12, 2002 recording discusses an invention from a Danish university. The Automatic Pool Trainer, as it is called, uses lasers, cameras, and sophisticated tracking software to show the optimal shots o
AIMS Puzzle Corner
Each month, the AIMS Education Foundation posts a new mathematical challenge on its Puzzle Corner Web site. "The goal of the AIMS Puzzle Corner is to provide teachers with a variety of interesting puzzles that can be used to create a learning environment where students engage in doing mathematics just for the fun of it!" Each puzzle includes an overview of the topic for the teacher, and a worksheet that can be used by the students. Some examples of previous puzzle concepts include sequences, pal
The Advanced Light Source
A division of the Berkeley Laboratory, the Advanced Light Source (ALS) "is a national user facility that generates intense light for scientific and technological research." Students and educators can learn how ALS, with the use of one of the world's brightest sources of ultraviolet and soft X-ray beams and the world's first third generation synchrotron light source in its energy range, studies the properties of materials, trace metals, and the structures of atoms and molecules. The website featu
Public Education Acid Rain Lesson Plan
Offered by The National Park Service Air Resources Division, this Web site includes a series of five 1-2 hour educational activities related to understanding acid rain and air quality for children grades six through eight. The very simply designed site includes lessons on: The pH scale; Understanding the difference between an acid and a base; Understanding what gases contribute to acid rain; How acid rain is measured and monitored in the US; and Understanding weather maps and the importance of s
Robber Flies (Asilidae)
This Web site focuses on "one of the largest and most abundant families of present day insects" -- the Robber Flies. Maintained by Fritz Geller-Grimm of the Museum Wiesbaden in Germany and Cornell University graduate student Torsten Dikow, the site includes a variety of information on many aspects of these insects. The Asilidae section contains many resources that are most appropriate for an advanced or research audience, including identification keys, species and distribution databases, and lit
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.
THE BOOK: An Engineer's Guide to the Digital Transition
This online guide was written to help engineers make the transition from analog to digital designs and implementations, with a specific focus on audio and video systems. The material is quite extensive and includes a wealth of application notes and "information on video formats, standards and interconnection considerations." Everything from high-level system design to proper routing techniques for different kinds of cables and signals is covered. The success of this guide prompted the creation o
Integrating Content Management with Digital Rights Management
This white paper, published in May 2003, explores the task of effectively managing digital content while incorporating and protecting the digital rights associated with the content. The authors begin by defining a content management system as it is discussed in their paper and outline the key components and capabilities of such a system. After touching on the foundations of digital rights, the paper then argues for the adoption of a "Rights Expression Language" to integrate digital rights inform
Base Valued Numbers
Most basic math classes are taught using the decimal number system, but the concept of number systems that use a base value other than ten is rarely mentioned. This educational website attempts to shed light on this overlooked theme by illustrating some common number systems that have practical value or historic significance. The material is very well presented, helping the reader to understand how numbers are represented in binary, octal, hexadecimal, and many other number systems. It also demo
Science North: Learn and Play
Science North Museum is self-described as creating high quality science education and entertainment experiences for its visitors. The Learn and Play portion of the accompanying Web site contains a Cool Science link with a wide variety of activities including an interactive stargazer and solar system, science quizzes, a reflex tester, a geology exploration activity, and more. Other links on the Learn and Play page include descriptions and movies, additional recommended science links, and Web cams
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
Datasheet Locator
With so many electronic components on the market today, it is often difficult to find datasheets with specifications and properties for a particular part. Rather than scouring the Internet for manufacturer's Web sites, Datasheet Locator has links to all the information you will need in one centralized location. The list of manufacturers currently numbers over 700. By directly connecting to the manufacturer's Web site, the information will always be up-to-date. Many of the companies allow searchi
