Collaborative Projects
The Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) provides these collaborative projects to be used in classrooms this fall. Many of the projects have a life science focus such as Human Genetics, Square of Life, and Bucket Buddies. Each project offers the opportunity for students to collect real life data to share online with their peers. The presentation of projects is teacher friendly, with start and end dates for each semester and the appropriate grade level available on the ma
MathFROG
MathFROG stands for Math Fun, Resources, and Online Games. The games and resources available here were developed by a team at the University of Waterloo and are intended for students in grades four, five and six. The lessons are self-contained, combining online mathematics games or technological tools with appropriate paper-and-pencil follow-up exercises, which can also be downloaded free of charge. Each lesson lasts about 45 to 60 minutes and includes information on the related Ontario curricul
The Mitochondria Project
The Mitochondria Project (MITOP), "a database for mitochondria-related genes, proteins, and diseases," is a joint project of the Munich Information Center for Protein Sequences and the Institut f�r Humangenetik in Germany. MITOP provides a synthesis of all available information "concerning genetic, functional and human-pathological aspects of the central role of mitochondria in the organism, with an emphasis on nuclear encoded proteins," and offers a number of search options organized by or
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
Grant Prideco: Engineering Toolkit
The Engineering Toolkit is a diverse assortment of utilities and interactive tools developed by a drilling manufacturing company. Possibly the most useful item in the toolkit is the Equation Bank, which contains nearly 100 equation solvers. Most are related to civil engineering and calculate effects due to pressure, parameters for pipe threading, and more. Another resource is the unit converter, a powerful tool with both metric and English units and over 20 dimensions from which to choose. A lar
National Aquarium in Baltimore
The Web site for the National Aquarium in Baltimore has some valuable resources for students and teachers, as well as information for those interested in visiting the museum. Several of the teachers activities can be used in classrooms that do not visit the aquarium, and the Animals section is a sizable resource of information on a number of aquatic species. A great new feature is the interactive aquagames that provide a fun way for students to test what they have learned from visiting this Web
Flash Kit
Flash, a Web browser plug-in developed by Macromedia, is one of the most common applications for creating animated objects and effects in a Web site. This site has a wealth of tutorials and general information about "Flash and related technologies." There are literally hundreds of tutorials for both novices and experienced users. The introductory items explain concepts like basic graphics and scene creation. Other topics include interactivity, audio integration, 3D graphics, and much more. There
The Child Care Nutrition Resource System
The Child Care Nutrition Resource System is developed by the University of Maryland's Department of Nutrition and Food Science and the USDA National Agricultural Library's Food and Nutrition Information Center. The Resource System is geared towards childcare providers who participate in USDA nutrition programs, but others interested in children's nutrition will find this website useful as well. Notably, the website serves as a portal to many helpful resources from a variety of different universi
Research of ICM: Interactive Demos of Mathematical Computations
The Institute for Computational Mathematics at Kent State University offers this very useful tool for complex calculations. Most of the demos given on this Web site range from beginning to advanced calculus; however, there are a few conversion utilities and function plotters. The interface of the demos allows the user to input a symbolic expression to be evaluated, and the result of the operation is displayed. Some of the functions include integration, limits, Taylor Series, and more. MathML is
AlternaTime
Timelines are often a fun and easy way to learn a great deal about a subject. George Emery, a librarian at Canisius College, has been collecting timelines on the Internet since 1993 and kindly presents them on the AlternaTime Web site. The science and technology timeline links have titles which include science timeline, chronology of scientific developments, physics, evolutionary and geological timeline, atomic, Mendel, space program, NASA, alchemical, strange science, and dozens more. A simple
Physics and Star Trek
Created and maintained by physicist Jason Hinson, the Physics and Star Trek Web site investigates faster than light travel and subspace physics. Each topic is presented as a mix of factual information along with speculation on the author's part on how these phenomena could or could not work. Although the site consists of much text and few graphics, which may turn away some potential readers, the interesting subject will definitely appeal to hard core Star Trek or physics junkies.
International Association of Sedimentologists
"The International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS) was founded in 1952 with the goal to promote the study of sedimentology and the interchange of research, particularly where international cooperation is desirable." The website provides visitors with the association's monthly newsletter, which discusses conferences, recent studies, workshops, and more. Students and educators can learn about and view the beautiful sedimentological exposures in Arizona and Utah. PhD students can find informa
Science Portal
The Australian governmental Web site, Science Portal delivers science information and services to industry, investors, and the research community. The site allows visitors to find relevant links in their field from all of Australia's research and research-related organization Web sites. The portal can be searched or browsed by various research topics including directories and databases, policy, research grants, and more.
10 GigE User Conference
This is the home page of the 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) User Conference, which was held in November 2002. Industry representatives met to discuss current deployments and what the future holds for the network technology. Nearly 30 presentations were given over the 2-day event, and each has a complete video, slides, or both available for download. Some of the speakers provided case studies of locations already using the 10 GigE standard, while others were part of panel discussions about various as
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
IPGRI: International Plant Genetic Resources Institute
This website is the homepage of the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), "an international research institute with a mandate to advance the conservation and use of genetic diversity for the well-being of present and future generations." The site is packed with informative resources on agricultural biodiversity, including IPGRI breaking news, downloadable publications, links to online databases, and much more. The publications library is quite a find, with a number of download
Solid-State Lighting
Solid-state lighting is a revolutionary technology that uses semiconducting materials to create light while generating almost no heat. This is extremely energy efficient, but until recently has been impractical due to the small amount of light emitted. New developments in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have reversed this trend, and strong interest has been shown by the US government and many research bodies.A good introduction to the technology can be found at the Lighting Research Center (1). It
The Accidental Scientist: Cooking
Another great Web site from the Exploratorium in San Francisco (last mentioned in the August 16, 2002 NSDL MET Report), The Accidental Scientist: Cooking is the first in a series of "Web-based projects focusing on the science behind everyday life." Offering a mind-boggling array of food-related information and activities, foodies and science-lovers alike should find this Web site extremely engaging. Life science-related material includes an exploration of taste and smell; the biological properti
U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Science
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science "is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, providing more than 40 percent of total funding for this vital area of national importance." At this expansive website, users can find posters explaining the Office's goals, its history, and answers to common questions. Researchers can receive the latest news, publications, images, and articles about the Office's basic research in energy, environment
SoloTrek XFV: Exoskeleton Flying Vehicle
Anyone who ever dreamed of flying with the birds should peruse the SoloTrek Web site. The vehicles shown online are either conceptual or in a prototype version, but they are intriguing nonetheless. Making its "proof-of-concept" test flight in December 2001, the Exoskeleton Flying Vehicle (XFV) is probably receiving the most attention. A technical primer describes the operation of the XFV and lists the specifications and components of the design. The vehicle's significance is outlined according t
