Science Surfing
- Paleontology
Dinosaurs!
The Smithsonian Institution’s dinosaur Web site tells the story of the National Museum of Natural History’s collections, research, and staff. Visitors not only learn about the early history of these well-known dinosaur collections but also get a chance to participate in a virtual dinosaur discovery, click through an interactive “Tree of Life” highlighting milestones in […]
- Earth
Changing Earth
Developed by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, this Web site focuses on Earth’s history. Visitors learn basic concepts of geological processes and evolution as well as gain a deeper understanding of how and why Earth changes and the impact of these changes on living organisms throughout its history. The site includes a […]
- Earth
Sea Monitors
Developed by researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, SeaMaven is a new Web portal that gives students access to data collected from naval platforms 60 miles off the coast of Georgia. Eight platforms, currently operated by the U.S. Navy for flight training, have been equipped with sophisticated sensors to monitor various ocean and meteorological […]
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Wildlife Finder
For a sofa safari, type in a location somewhere on the planet (by city, country, or even zip code) and see what kinds of natural habitat lie nearby. Created by the World Wildlife Federation, this Web site generates a list of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles reported in that type of habitat and links them […]
- Archaeology
The Iceman Cometh
A Web site maintained by Italy’s South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology offers an illustrated look at scientific efforts to understand the life and death of Oetzi the Iceman, who perished in Europe’s Alps more than 5,000 years ago only to be discovered in mummified form by hikers in 1991. Explore Oetzi’s clothing, equipment, and tattoos, […]
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What’s the Buzz?
The highly unusual “bzzzpeek” Web site gives you a chance to compare how people in different countries try to imitate animal (and some vehicle) sounds. Click on an animal or vehicle symbol, then on the language of the native speaker, to hear each result. The animals include sheep, pigs, turkeys, frogs, dogs, and cats. Among […]
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Virtual Insects
Created by entomologist Alexei Sharov of Virginia Tech, this Web site provides dramatic, close-up, three-dimensional views of various insects, as presented in animated images or using the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). Virtual insects on display include the ant, stag beetle, water strider, and termite. Requires a QuickTime plug-in (movies) or a VRML plug-in (virtual […]
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Animal Skulls
High school biology teacher DeLoy Roberts and his students have, over the years, assembled a large collection of animal skulls. This Web site provides dramatic images of the skulls, ranging, for example, from the armadillo to the wood rat among the mammals. Various birds, fish, sharks, reptiles, amphibians, and crustaceans are also represented. Go to: […]
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Ocean Habitats
These Web pages provide a set of lesson plans devoted to organisms that live in the intertidal zone. Geared to grades seven to nine, the activities include studies of a variety of shells, a virtual tour of a rocky coast, and a study of life in a tide pool. Several online videos accompany the lessons. […]
- Health & Medicine
Anatomia
These Web pages feature more than 4,500 historic illustrations of human anatomy, taken from 95 rare books, ranging in date from 1522 to 1867. The books come from the University of Toronto’s Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. See, for example, a drawing of the human heart and lungs, taken from René Descartes’ book De homine, […]
- Humans
Evolution at the Academies
The National Academies have unveiled a new resource for the public on evolution. The Web site provides access to books, position statements, and additional material on evolution education and research. Go to: http://nationalacademies.org/evolution/
- Animals
Save the Tapir
Tapirs are relatives of horses and rhinos. Sometimes known as “living fossils,” these unusual animals inhabit jungle and forest lands in Central and South America and Southeast Asia. The Tapir Gallery provides information about tapirs, including images and an extensive bibliography. A student section of the Web site, produced by the Tapir Preservation Fund, provides […]
