Science Surfing
- Health & Medicine
Brain Aneurysms
Nobody wants a brain aneurysm, a dangerous bulge in a blood vessel. But it’s comforting to know that aneurysms are often treatable. This Web site offers information on treatment options, recovery, support groups, and upcoming seminars. The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, a nonprofit group that provides education and support services to patients and their families, maintains […]
- Ecosystems
Tallgrass Prairie
The Openlands Project played a key role in converting the former Joliet Arsenal in Illinois into the first national tallgrass prairie. This Web site traces the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie’s history and provides a variety of classroom activities for students in grades 1 to 12. Lessons include plant investigations, predator and prey relationships, prairie climate, […]
- Earth
Sustainable Resource Use
This British Web site provides educational material about the sustainable use of resources, including water, waste management, textiles, and timber. It provides puzzles, experiments, worksheets, and lesson plans, with links to a wide range of environmental information. Go to: http://www.e4s.org.uk/
- Physics
Quantum Diaries
What’s it like being a physicist? For the “World Year of Physics” in 2005, more than 30 physicists from around the world are providing occasional glimpses of their lives throughout the year via blog entries, video clips, and photos. Go to: http://interactions.org/quantumdiaries/
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Cockroach Study
For students and teachers, this Web page by high school biology teacher Mary Colvard offers a lesson plan for a lab in which students look for signs of learning in cockroaches. The lesson plan includes background information about cockroaches. Go to: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/colvard_cockroach.html
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Amazing Paper Airplanes
If you want to build paper airplane models of the space shuttle, F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, and other aircraft, this page from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers offers plans and folding instructions. For additional designs, see Kyong H. Lee’s “Amazing Paper Airplanes” Web site. Go to: http://www.asme.org/events/flight/paperarchive.shtml?URL=www.asme.org and http://www.amazingpaperairplanes.com/
- Archaeology
Cuneiform Tablets
This Web exhibit from the Library of Congress displays 38 ancient clay tablets and other artifacts that feature the ancient form of writing known as cuneiform. The items include various accounting records (receipts and bills of sale) and school exercises. Go to: http://international.loc.gov/intldl/cuneihtml/
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Whale Songs
Listen to the songs of whales and the sounds of the ocean near Maui, Hawaii. The Whalesong Project is the effort of a group of volunteers to bring attention to the beauty of oceans and the wonder of whales and dolphins. Go to: http://www.whalesong.net/
- Physics
Einstein at Home
The Einstein@Home program offers participants a chance to use idle time on their computers to search for spinning pulsars in data collected by gravitational-wave detectors in the United States and Europe. This Web site describes the program and lets you sign up your computer for cutting-edge astrophysics research. Go to: http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/
- Math
Paper Enigma
The enigma machine was used by Germany during World War II to encrypt and decrypt messages. Created by Mike Koss, the plans and detailed instructions offered on these Web pages allow you to build your own fully functioning, paper version of this infamous machine. Go to: http://mckoss.com/Crypto/Enigma.htm
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Inner Tube of Life
Science magazine presents a striking portrait of the human gut in a special collection of articles and features devoted to the flora, development, immunology, diseases, and more of this remarkable, 10-foot-long tube. The Web pages include an interactive poster displaying the gut in all its glory. Requires free registration. Go to: http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/gut/
- Humans
Science Cartoons
The science-themed cartoons of Sidney Harris have entertained readers of magazines ranging from American Scientist to The New Yorker for many years. You can find a selection of his delightful cartoons, organized by topic, in this Web gallery. Go to: http://www.sciencecartoonsplus.com/gallery.htm
