Profiles in Science: The Donald Fredrickson Papers
The National Library of Medicine has recently digitized and made available the work of Donald Fredrickson (1924-2002), a notable physiologist and biomedical researcher. Visitors are encouraged to begin with the online Exhibit, which includes biographical information and short essays about Dr. Fredrickson's work, as well as a selection of digitized documents and visuals organized by subject. Visitors may locate additional materials compiled in alphabetical or chronological listings, or by using t
The Atoms Family
The Miami Museum of Science developed this creative website to provide educational activities dealing with energy. Fourth through eighth graders will enjoy visiting the Mummy's Tomb where they will learn about kinetic and potential energy and energy conservation while Building a Better Tomb and a raceway. At the Phantom's Portrait Parlor, sixth through twelfth graders can learn about the Phases of Matter, Spectroscopes of Atoms, and the construction of molecules. Teachers looking to supplement t
JAMSTEC Data Site
From the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) comes the JAMSTEC Data Site. Visitors can access several databases and data sites including the Deep Seafloor Image Database, Japan ARGO Delayed-mode Database, the J-CAD Compact Arctic Drifter, MIRAI Data Web, Research Results Report System, Submarine Cable Data Center, and the TRITON Buoy Data Web site. All provide marine science related information from Japan and around the world.
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico 2002: America's Expanding Frontier
A recent release from the US Government's Minerals Management Service is entitled Deepwater Gulf of Mexico 2002: America's Expanding Frontier. The report "details the extraordinary growth of oil and gas industry activity in the deepwater (1,000 feet of water or more) Gulf over the past seven years and its anticipated continued growth." The near 150-page downloadable Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file contains information on leasing, drilling and development, reserves and production, summaries and conclus
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
NBS Educator: Helping People Understand Contract Documentation
NBS Educator is intended for "construction industry students, lecturers and professionals who need to understand contract documentation, such as specifications and schedules of work." As of December 2002, a collection of five text-based lectures exist on the Web site. Each provides an in-depth look at various aspects of the construction process, so as to keep all parties informed and operating on the same page. A few additional modules of educational resources are under development, including sa
Prehistoric Life
This Web site from Museum Victoria in Australia presents an overview of fossils and what they tell us about prehistoric life. Museum Victoria developed this site in response to frequently asked questions and public interest in paleontology, resulting in a well-presented and easy-to-understand introduction to the topic. Five main sections cover invertebrate fossils, dinosaurs, Ice Age mammals, fossils found in Victoria, and a general explanation of fossils and fossilization. Although a bit text h
JGOFS: Joint Global Ocean Flux Study
The Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) examines the carbon exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean in order to understand the processes influencing the fluxes of carbon and associated biogenic elements and the exchanges among the atmosphere, sea floor and continental boundaries. The website discusses JGOFS's aim to achieve the ability to predict human impacts on climate change on a global scale. Visitors can find numerous datasets associated with JGOFS's core parameters and cruises for
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
Ocean World: Coral Reefs
Texas A&M University presents Ocean World, a Web-based educational resource for oceanography. The feature on coral reefs has the most direct life sciences application, with easy-to-navigate sections about the coral animal, coral reefs as the rainforests of the sea, symbiosis, ecosystem services, and coral reef threats and conservation. The Web site also includes a handy hypertext glossary, an interactive quiz, and annotated links to interesting Web sites, including sites that provide real-time r
Unidata K-12 Weather Sites
Unidata is a community, consisting mostly of educators and researchers, which provides "data, tools, and community leadership for enhanced Earth-system education and research." In this section of the website, Unidata members suggest some of their favorite K-12 websites that educators can use to teach about weather. Along with each website link is a short description of the resource. Some websites are described as offering multimedia instructional resources and weather data, while others offer in
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
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
The New York Botanical Garden: International Plant Science Center
In "combining modern technologies with a century of field and laboratory research," the New York Botanical Garden's International Plant Science Center "is one of the few institutions worldwide with the resources, collections, and expertise to develop the information needed to understand and manage plant diversity." This website grants considerable access to resources from the Center, including numerous plant databases, digitized rare botanical books, online access to the herbarium collections, a
Discovery Channel: Kitchen Chemistry
This Discovery Channel website presents the science behind cooking. Through concise descriptions, users can discover how the kitchen is like a chemistry laboratory and cooking an experiment. The website educates individuals how adding salt affects the boiling point of water and why beating egg whites affects their texture. Students can learn about common chemical compounds in the kitchen including sugar, starches, fats, and proteins. The website offers suggestions on how an understanding of chem
The CBD for Botanists
One of the two conventions signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) seeks to "conserve biological diversity, use biological resources sustainably -- to ensure that we do not use up our resources faster than they can recover, and share the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources fairly and equitably." This site, a link off of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew main site, provides the complete CBD for Botanists. Offered in several pd
Net-Weather
Net-Weather presents a host of meteorological information for the UK at this website. Users can find out seasonal, monthly, 10-day, and additional relevant weather forecasts. The Charts and Data link offers live satellite images, links to numerous forecast models, and data on sea temperatures and anomalies. For people who like winter and snow, the website offers interesting stories about famous British winters as well as snow reports. The Net-Weather Forum is a great place to discuss any weather
Daily Lesson Plan: Brain Brands
Why do those holiday cookies and candies -- placed conveniently at child height at the cash register -- get you drooling and entice you to fill your cart with unintended purchases? It might be neuromarketing at work. In this thought-provoking activity, created by Georgia Scurletis and Briget Anderson and offered through the _New York Times_ LearningNetwork, students (grades 6 - 12) are challenged to think about how branding and marketing may influence their taste more than their taste buds thems
Prions
The following websites provide a quick review of prion research in the news. Prions, short for "proteinaceous infectious particles," are responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), mad cow disease, scrapie disease, chronic wasting disease, and other deadly brain diseases. The first website, a Science Update from the journal _Nature_, reports on an intriguing study published earlier this year that found genes in some human populations offer protection from prion diseases, possibly in respons
Citrus Canker: The Pathogen and Its Impact
This Web site, currently featured on the home page of the American Phytopathological Society, contains a research report regarding the Asiatic citrus canker that has had devastating effects on Florida's citrus industry. The report, in a journal article format, thoroughly relates the natural history and current status of the disease, as well as detailing the methods and results of the (primarily genetic) experiments conducted in this study. One of the most appealing features of this Web site is t
