Ready to Learn: All About Hepatitis C
This comprehensive online resource for information about Hepatitis C is provided as a public service by Schering Corporation, the medical research and development company. Anyone who has specific questions about Hepatitis C, or who wishes to learn more about the disease in general, should find this Web site of great use. The site offers a wealth of detailed information about this disease that affects over 170 million people worldwide. Causes, symptoms, transmission, prevention, and treatment are
Predictions 2005
Gartner, Inc., which provides research and analysis on the global IT industry for clients worldwide, offers annual predictions for the year ahead in the areas of technology, application, and industry. This section of the website highlights the firm's 2005 predictions for technology. Some of the technologies addressed in this issue include open source software, public network infrastructure, and mobile and wireless technologies. The full document must be purchased, but visitors may browse through
Duke University Robotics
This website highlights robotics research from the Robotics and ManufacturingAutomation Laboratory at Duke University. Their work is "devoted to thedevelopment of command and control systems for cooperative robots." Theirwebsite provides descriptions and some demonstration videos of their work inmultiple industrial robot control, mobile robot development, sensor fusion,robot-World Wide Web interfacing, sensor integration, among other relatedprojects. A bibliography of publications by Lab researc
Observational Cosmology in the Timbie Group
The Timbie Group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison specializes "in the development and deployment of instruments capable of reaching the exquisite levels of sensitivity necessary to detect the very weak microwave signals constituting the Cosmic Microwave Background" (CMB). The website offers materials about the group's current and recent endeavors, including the Polarization Observations of Large Angular Regions (POLAR) and the development of Monolithic Silicon Bolometers and Miniature Adia
Cell Biology and Cancer
The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, has recently released this curriculum supplement as part of a series designed to "deepen students' awareness of the importance of basic research to advances in medicine and health," as well as foster critical thinking and an understanding of how scientific discoveries affect their own lives. The Web site offers five outstanding student activities (grades 9-12) regarding cancer and cell biology. Some of these activities hav
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
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
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
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
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
Herpetologists' League
Founded in 1936, the Herpetologists' League (HL) "exists to promote scientific study and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. The primary goals of the League are to support the acquisition of knowledge about these organisms, and to transmit that knowledge through publications, conferences, and symposia." Hosted by the Illinois Natural History Survey, the HL website contains contact information for current League Officers, as well as information about membership, and the upcoming Joint Meetin
Dividing Daffodils
Middle School, difficulty level 4. Help us plant our garden of daffodils.
Ozone in the atmosphere : ozone depletion
What processes cause a depletion of the ozone layer? This informational page, part of an interactive laboratory series for grades 8-12, explores natural and human-made destruction of the ozone layer. Here students read about the instability of ozone atoms and the naturally changing quantities of ozone in the air. Volcanoes, the oceans, and other natural processes provide chemicals that break down ozone. Chemical equations of the breakdowns are provided. A discussion of the use of chlorofluorocar
A Map of Things To Come : National Geographic Map Lesson
This lesson will enable students to analyze and interpret mapped information regarding the effects of urban sprawl on Maryland, and state government efforts during the past decade to address it. The lesson includes two activities based on urban sprawl and a smart growth map.
Plop It!
users click to build dot plots of data and view how the mean, median, and mode change as numbers are added to the plot.
Golden rectangle (grades 6-8)
This virtual manipulative can help students visualize the golden rectangle. It shows how a set of golden rectangles is generated by using the golden ratio (the ratio of the longer side to the shorter side of a golden rectangle) to create smaller golden rectangles within an initial rectangle. The size of the initial rectangle can be varied, and the center of the spiral generated by the applet can be seen. Instructions for using this online manipulative are included on the site, as is a link to th
