Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology
The Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE) operates under the auspices of the USDA Agricultural Research Service. CMAVE "conducts research aimed at reducing or eliminating the harm caused by insects to crops, stored products, livestock and humans. Research is directed not only at the insects themselves but at pathogens they may transmit and at identifying inherent protective mechanisms in plants." The Center's website links to information about CMAVE researchers and
Drawing with the Hand in Free Space
Leonardo, a journal that focuses on applications of science and technology in art, included this paper in its second-to-last issue of 2002. The author discusses a fascinating method of creating three dimensional shapes in a semi-immersive virtual environment. Developed at Caltech, the technique tracks the motion of a user's hand, which is fitted with a special type of glove. With the help of an eyepiece viewing device, the user can see the corresponding surface drawing floating in midair. Severa
MIT Media Lab: Software Agents [pdf, Microsoft Word, QuickTime, Macromedia Flash Player,
The Software Agents Group of the MIT Media Laboratory "investigates computer systems to which one can delegate tasks." Software agents are different from conventional software because they are "long-lived, semi-autonomous, proactive, and adaptive." Software Agents Group focuses on creating software that "acts as an assistant to the user rather than a tool, learning from interaction and proactively anticipating the user's needs." The website describes their various projects that use "commonsense
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
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
Global Crop Pests Identification and Information
This Web site from the Cornell Institute for Food, Agriculture, and Development contains a newly developed prototype of the "Global Crop Pest Identification and Information Services in Integrated Pest Management (IPM)." Available in English and Spanish, this online guide aims to "increase crop pest diagnosis and IPM information capability among extensionists and farmers of developing countries." Users can search the site by crop or pest name; for example, clicking on a particular crop name will
The Turing Test
A man before his time, Alan Mathison Turing is arguably one of the most recognized mathematicians of the 20th century. In 1950, he published a paper that, to this day, sets the standard for artificial intelligence. He proposed a way to determine if a machine has intelligence, and this is now called the Turing Test.In his 41-year life, Turing accomplished a great deal as a mathematician. Bordering on many philosophical issues, his work is recounted in this online biography (1). A very good introd
METRIC Math
Developed by individuals from the Mathematics Department and the Chemistry Department at the Imperial College in London, METRIC Maths aims to help students improve their math skills and knowledge. Visitors can download for free the Java-based program, which is geared towards advanced secondary level mathematics and as preparation for transitioning to University level mathematics. The program provides students an opportunity to "investigate mathematical ideas using METRIC's explorations," practic
Material World Modules
The Materials World Program is an educational program created at Northwestern University intended to teach kids about science, math, and social issues by letting them investigate the objects that surround them in their everyday lives. While traditional science teaching divides the sciences into various disciplines, each studied separately, this program shows students that science is more than a set of techniques as "students using MWM learn how principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics r
Geology in North Dakota
The Department of Geosciences at North Dakota State University educates visitors about the geologic features and landforms of North Dakota through clear text and astonishing images at this website. In the Glacial Features of North Dakota link, visitors can learn about end moraines, eskers, kettle lakes, and kames. Educators can find amazing photographs of mass wasting including creep, slope failure, and slumps. Users can also find materials on stream features and satellite imagery of North Dakot
Final Report of the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry
Since its first meeting in November 2001, the Commission on the Future of the US Aerospace Industry has worked to prepare this final report on the industry, its position in the global economy, and its application to national security. The report was released on November 18, 2002, and can be viewed in its entirety at this Web site, along with a fifteen minute video presentation from the commission's chairman. The 300+ page report is divided into nine chapters, each with a central theme and series
Learning Technologies Project
The NASA Learning Technologies Project (LTP) showcases many initiatives that "incorporate NASA content with revolutionary technologies or innovative use of entrenched technologies to enhance education in the areas of math and science." The Education Resources section features three software titles that can be freely downloaded, mainly consisting of three-dimensional visualization activities for planets and the solar system. Extensive information about current projects under development is given,
Crocodiles and Turtles of Borneo
Whether you're a herpetologist or just have a fascination for reptiles, you will want to check out this Web site from the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation at the University of Malaysia, Sarawak. The site presents all documented crocodiles and turtles found on Borneo, representing six families altogether. An easy-to-use drop-down menu for each family lists individual species. Each species page provides a great photo as well as the "current valid scientific name, the Englis
GCSE Bitesize Revision
This site from the BBC gives support to students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland who are studying for their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). The site is nicely organized, but those from outside the UK should realize that the word "revise" is used to mean what Americans would call review. This can be a bit confusing when using the site, as buttons that say revise actually lead to materials to review. That said, the site provides nice "bitesize" pages on various topics in
Novia Scotia: Geological History
The Fossils of Nova Scotia Museum Site created this website to educate visitors about the geologic history of Nova Scotia. Students can find lots of educational materials on the location, rock structure, and environments for the periods from the Precambrian to the Quaternary. The website discusses how the evidence within the rocks in Nova Scotia provide clues to past earthquakes, erosion of mountains, collisions of continents, and other facets of the Earth's history. Anyone interested in the geo
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
Institute of Global Environment and Society and the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies
This website features the work of two groups: the Institute of Global Environment and Society (IGES) and the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA). Both organizations were formed to improve the "understanding and prediction of Earth's climate variations and to share both the fruits of this research and the tools necessary to carry out this research with society as a whole." The Weather and Climate Data link features numerous maps and animations of the analyses of current conditions, we
Alaska Fisheries Science Center: Understanding Fish Bycatch Discard and Escapee Mortality
The Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) latest Quarterly Research Report features research on fish bycatch discard and escapee mortality conducted by the AFSC. Readers will find a summary article for the report on the main Web page. The entire 9-page report details "systematic bycatch research conducted over the past 10 years in the laboratory of the AFSC's Fisheries Behavioral Ecology Group," and may be downloaded as a PDF document. The Web site also contains links to detailed reports from
Freshwater Jellyfish!
Readers can discover the freshwater jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii at this straightforward and informative Web site from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Biology Department. Learn how C. sowerbii is related to marine jellyfish, where they live, and what they eat, as well as other aspects of this species' natural history. The site includes a small image gallery, an extensive reference section on the subject, and relevant links to other freshwater jellyfish research Web sites. The authors
