EPA: Tools and Literature
Green Chemistry, as its name implies, is an environment friendly practice of using chemistry to prevent pollution. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Green Chemistry Expert System software that can be freely downloaded from this site. The program can be used to assess hazardous substances in chemical reactions, learn about green synthetic methods, design safer chemicals by modifying existing ones, consider alternatives to traditional solvents, or search for additional refer
Maps That Teach: US and World Geography
Created by Owl and Mouse Educational Software, this resource uses interactive maps to teach geography. The site provides both Map Puzzles and Interactive Maps. Map Puzzles are downloadable and must be run on Windows. They challenge users to piece together the States of the United States or the countries of the world's continents, depending on the puzzle used. Interactive Maps allow users to move their cursor over a basic regional map. As the cursor hits each country, its name appears. The page a
Berkeley Lab 2002-2003 Highlights: Biosciences and Health
This Web site highlights new developments in biosciences and health research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. As part of a special issue of the Berkeley Lab Research Review, this site offers short articles featuring Berkeley researchers and covers such diverse topics as the genome of the Japanese pufferfish and the structure of water channels in cell membranes. The articles are written for a general audience, and each featured research project concerns some aspect of human health.
Earth and Sky
This companion web site to the Earth and Sky Radio Series offers recordings of the award winning daily radio show, plus oodles of supplementary science material. Visitors can search for specific science topics and retrieve relevant articles and past shows (and transcripts) on the topic. There is a great kids earth and sky section directed at younger children, plus a teacher's lounge with virtual text book, resources, and tips for using Earth and Sky in the classroom. This well organized, attract
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
Water Research Network
Self-described as a "multidisciplinary database of research, researchers, and institutions dealing with fresh water issues all over the world," the Water Research Network (WRN) is a product of collaboration between the University of Bergen, Norway, the Norwegian Research Council, and the Government of the Netherlands. Active since October 2001, WRN invites researchers from various disciplines to submit information about their water research projects (free registration is required). While the sit
Roman Numerals
This website provides an overview of the Principles of Roman numerals as well as a history of Roman numerals, which dates back to 1st millennium BC when they were used by Romans to record numbers in stone, art and coins. Some pictures in the gallery highlight the ways in which Roman Numerals are used today, such as on watch and clock faces. The authors point out that Roman numerals have a classic style and are less functional than the Arabic (decimal) numbers ( 0 to 9 ) which were introduced int
The Brighton University Resource Kit for Students
The Brighton University Resource Kit for Students (BURKS) is an archive with "compilers, tutorials and reference manuals for dozens of different programming languages, a dictionary of computing with over 13,000 entries...a vast amount of useful software, information about the Internet itself, and much more." BURKS is primarily intended for individuals who do not have access to an Internet connection, which is why the collection mostly consists of resources from external websites. The collection
Datasheet Locator
With so many electronic components on the market today, it is often difficult to find datasheets with specifications and properties for a particular part. Rather than scouring the Internet for manufacturer's Web sites, Datasheet Locator has links to all the information you will need in one centralized location. The list of manufacturers currently numbers over 700. By directly connecting to the manufacturer's Web site, the information will always be up-to-date. Many of the companies allow searchi
Advantage Warfighter: ERDC Research Gives US Forces the Edge
This report from the US Army Research and Development Center describes new technologies that "assist soldiers as they maneuver, deploy, sustain, survive, and train." Advanced techniques and equipment are highlighted in each of these five categories. For example, the Joint Rapid Airfield Construction program, as the name implies, is working on a method of quickly setting up a base for aircraft to land, possibly in unfamiliar territory. Another project is a protective structural system that can be
Illinois Natural History Survey Mollusk Collection
The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) "Mollusk Collection contains over 105,400 catalogued specimens, most of which were collected in Illinois and the southeastern United States. The collection is 90% freshwater species (mussels, fingernail clams, and snails) and 10% terrestrial species (snails)." This INHS website allows visitors to search the Mollusk Collection Database and offers search fields for Genus species, Stream, Drainage, County, State, Year, and more. The site also links to cont
IEEE History Center
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) History Center functions "to preserve, research and promote the history of information and electrical technologies." There are many resources on the center's Web site that provide an excellent perspective into some of the original breakthroughs in electrical design and the more recent advancements in computer technology. Historical articles and list of frequently asked questions are given on the site, as well as many transcripts of int
Structurae: International Database and Gallery of Structures
Structurae is the International Database and Gallery of Structures. The information contained on the site is primarily aimed at civil engineers and architects; however, anyone with an interest in modern or historical structures should definitely review it. More than 3,000 structures are listed in the database, including facts about materials used in construction, size, date started, and date completed. Many of the entries also have photographs of the location. You can sort the structures by type
Digital Signal Processing Tools
A collection of seven Java applets and associated tutorials are available on this site from the Signals and Systems Group at the University of Edinburgh. The tools illustrate various concepts of digital signal processing, like convolution, correlation, the Fourier transform, and discrete-time applications of each. Seven other applets that demonstrate more advanced concepts are also available, but no documentation or explanation accompanies them. A few conference publications and reports related
Worldwide Ocean Optics Database
Created and maintained at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Worldwide Ocean Optics Database (WOOD) contains several hundred datasets, gathered over time from much of the world's oceans, specifically on optics. The data can be searched via an applet or a text-based query system that includes parameters such as date, depth, salinity, upwelling radiance, turbidity, secchi depth, and many more. The site provides several downloadable software programs that allow users to fu
Global Volcanism Program
Maintained by the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History, the Global Volcanism Program "seeks better understanding of all volcanoes through documenting their eruptions--small as well as large--during the past 10,000 years." The extensive Web site contains up-to-date and archived information about volcanic eruptions in the form of short reports from local observers. A large amount of additional information about volcanoes around the world is available, making it an indispensable sour
North American Benthological Society
Founded in 1953, the "North American Benthological Society (NABS) is an international scientific organization whose purpose is to promote better understanding of the biotic communities of lake and stream bottoms and their role in aquatic ecosystems, by providing media and disseminating new investigation results, new interpretations, and other benthological information to aquatic biologists and to the scientific community at large." Notably, NABS hosts a Classified Ads and Announcements section w
TranStats: The Intermodal Transportation Database
Provided by the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, this site for researchers and analysts, which is aimed at providing "one stop shopping" for transportation data, allows users to search over 100 databases, download data, complete online statistics, and view online maps pertaining to data. Data subjects related to physical science includes energy use statistics, a pollution database, air quality data, emission trends, toxics inventories, greenhouse gases, and more. Although a newer browser
Insect Mouthparts
This Web site contains a pictorial guide to insect mouthparts, a complicated topic served well by this simple yet effective tutorial. Created by University of Ottawa entomology professor Dr. Houseman -- using material adapted from Digital Zoology (on CD from McGraw-Hill) -- this site provides labeled diagrams and high quality photos of chewing, siphoning, piercing, sponging, and combination mouthparts. Users may view images by category or click through the entire set in sequence. The photographs
Waterjet Web Reference: Information and Resources for Water Jet Machining
According to the Waterjet Web Reference, "abrasive waterjets are the fastest growing segment of the machine tool industry." This is not surprising when considering how quickly and precisely a tool can be made by using the technology. The site offers a thorough introduction to waterjets, describing how they work and what they can do. Comparisons are made to conventional machining processes, and the advantages of waterjets are outlined. Other sections of the site include an Engineer's Guide, a vid
