The NFL Today: Anatomical Travelogue Video
CBS Sportsline's The NFL Today Web site may seem an unlikely source for life science material, but this particular site contains animated movie clips of see-through football players. More specifically, the animations show how the musculoskeletal systems of football players move while running, tackling, breathing, etc. Created by the biology-themed computer animation company Anatomical Travelogue, these short movies can be views with RealPlayer or Windows Media, although RealPlayer seemed to work
Thanksgiving Biology
The first Web site (1) is an article from State University of New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry. It provides a short, readable introduction to the biology and natural history of wild turkeys in the US. Wild or domesticated, turkey meat is well know for its soporific power. Visitors to the Web site from International Anti-aging Systems (2) can learn all about tryptophan, the amino acid responsible for the post-Thanksgiving dinner nap. Also found in turkey (but much less appe
Bioprospecting: Medicine Quest
Actionbioscience (last mentioned in the September 20, 2002 Scout Report) offers two lesson plans on ethnobotany and biodiversity based on an interview with Mark Plotkin, author of the popular book A Tale of a Shaman's Apprentice. The lesson plans that accompany this interview can be found under Educator's Resources at the bottom of the page, along with numerous links to additional resources and related articles. The two lessons are available in one PDF document; the first intended for grades 9-1
MIT Space Systems Laboratory
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created the Space Systems Laboratory (SSL) in 1995 to engage in "cutting edge research projects with the goal of directly contributing to the present and future exploration and development of space." Users can find materials on current and past flight projects such as the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) and the Interferometry Program Experiment (IPEX). The website also features SSL's ground programs and re
Statistical Education Through Problem Solving
Statistical Education Through Problem Solving (STEPS) was a collaborative project between seven universities throughout the United Kingdom "to develop problem-based teaching and learning materials for statistics." The materials draw on specific problems arising in Biology, Business, Geography and Psychology to help students learn that statistical issues are "important natural parts of the process of reaching conclusions." The software developed as a result of this project, which utilizes the com
National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) on Climate
The National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR), based in Bern, Switzerland, studies climate change and its impacts on society through "reconstruction of past climate; study of key physical, chemical and ecological processes; and a concerted effort to develop procedures for seasonal forecasting as well as the forecasting of extreme weather events." This extensive website offers summaries of the goals, methods, status, and results for the NCCR's fourteen main projects. While some of the publ
A Butterfly's Life
Teachers in the market for lesson plans about butterflies can find hundreds of pages of Web-based material, but those looking for something simple and straightforward might be interested in this Web site, a joint project of Lotus School, Hult Museum, and the Wildlife Prairie Park in Illinois. Well-organized pages of text and images offer descriptions of butterfly migration, life cycle, habitat, food web, body parts, and gender. The site also provides research questions and steps that "outline a
Center for Earth and Planetary Studies Research and Publications
The Center for Earth and Planetary Studies (CEPS), which is part of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, "conducts an active research program in planetary and terrestrial geology and geophysics using remote sensing data from Earth-orbiting satellites and manned and unmanned space missions." The Research portion of the site allows visitors to view the many projects that have taken place, such as the Topographic Mapping of Mercury project being conducted by Dr. Anthony Cook. Each page
The Schoolyard Solar System
"The Schoolyard Solar System was developed to demonstrate the solar system to scale; to show the relationship between units of thousands, millions, and billions; and to accomplish these goals with student involvement that will re-enforce the lessons." Students and educators can find images of the Sun and the nine planets in our solar system. The website presents bulk, orbital, and observational parameters as well as additional facts for the objects. By printing out the materials and following th
Brookhaven National Laboratory: National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC)
The National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory "collects, evaluates, and disseminates nuclear physics data for basic nuclear research and for applied nuclear technologies." Researchers can find eight databases containing information on nuclear structure, decay, and reaction, and also references. The website also offers numerous nuclear structure, decay, and reaction tools. Users can find links to both United States and international nuclear data centers. Students and e
The Meteoritical Society
"The Meteoritical Society is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in 1933 to promote the study of extraterrestrial materials and their history." The website provides the latest Society news and downloads to its annual newsletter and bulletins. Scientists can find out about upcoming meetings and workshops, Society publications, and membership opportunities. Students and educators can locate materials describing meteorites, tektites, dust, and lunar samples as well as links to outside educa
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Computational Astrophysics: Digital Demo Room
This University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign website features four computer simulations to increase the understanding of astrophysics: Disk Galaxy Dynamics, One Dimensional Hydrodynamics, Stellar Structure and Evolution, and Two Dimensional Hydrodynamics. Each simulation offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced modes. At the Stellar Structure and Evolution Simulator link, individuals can find a tutorial describing the basic physics concepts related to the topic along with the interactive m
ESA: Launchers
The European Space Agency (ESA) furnishes thorough articles and images regarding its launch vehicles, Europe's Spaceport, and technology. Users can find out ESA's launch schedule, plans for next generation launchers, and the past successes of the launch program. The website offers a video of a launch countdown, images of the Ariane 5, and many more media materials. Through the interactive modules, individuals can learn about the stages, boosters, engines, and additional specifics of the launcher
Astromaterials Curation
"The Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office at the Johnson Space Center is tasked to curate NASA's current and future collections of extraterrestrial samples." The website divides the collections into six categories: Rocks and Soils from the Moon, Meteorites from Antarctica, Stratospheric Dust, Solar Wind, Space-Exposed Hardware, and Stardust Mission Samples. Besides learning how to receive and return the samples, users can find newsletters and information on discoveries made using the s
Dendrochronology Species Database
The Dendrochronology Species Database was composed by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, a Professor of Geography at the University of Tennessee. The database "currently contains the names of over 1,100 tree and shrub species for which tree rings have been analyzed in the published literature." Records include the authority and scientific and common name(s) for each species. For species with available data in the International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB), records provide an ITRDB Code, and a link to the I
The American Society of Mammalogists
Founded in 1919, the American Society of Mammalogists (AMS) is an organization, composed primarily of professional scientists, that promotes mammal study. The members of AMS also work to provide "information for public policy, resources management, conservation, and education." A notable ASM site feature is the Mammal Image Library which provides "images of mammals for educational purposes worldwide." The ASM website also contains information about two main publications, _The Journal of Mammalog
Digital Bridges
"The Digital Bridges Web site consists of a collection of thirty representative 19th century American bridge engineering monographs, manuals, and documents from the Lehigh University Libraries' Special Collections." The archive provides an interesting retrospective into the beginnings of major bridge projects; the material is complete with high-resolution photographs and text scanned from original books. In addition to historical literature, Digital Bridges also features brief accounts of notabl
Ireland
This Topic In Depth focuses on the land, science, and scientists of Ireland.Offered by Enchanted Learning.com, the first site (1) gives kids a brief introduction to Ireland's geography through a description of its location, size, and major rivers; online and printable maps; and a quiz. The next site is called the Irish Scientist (2), which is an online version of a yearly publication that "provide a means for Irish scientists and technologists to describe -- to colleagues, legislators and the ge
Earth Today: A Digital View of our Dynamic Planet
Earth Today: A Digital View of our Dynamic Planet is offered by the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and is described as a "state of the art digital theater that's updated several times daily to show near real-time satellite views of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses." The Our Dynamic Earth section contains several topics, such as The Atmosphere, in which users can read about the subject and see impressive satellite images and animations of Earth from space. T
General Electric Company: Innovation Timeline
Now over 110 years old, General Electric played an important role in the worldwide adoption of many modern technologies. The company maintains this timeline of events and innovations that happened since its formation. Beginning with Thomas Edison's carbon filament lamp in 1879, the timeline briefly describes each entry and its significance. A picture and the occasional video clip are also included. While some of the material pertains to GE history, it mainly represents technological progress mad
