Science Surfing
- Humans
Telegraph Days
Samuel F.B. Morse invented the electromagnetic telegraph and the Library of Congress holds an extensive collection of his papers. About 6,500 of these documents are now available online. They document Morse’s invention, his participation in the development of telegraph systems in the United States and abroad, his career as a painter, his family life, his […]
- Humans
Time Warp
Curious about the household technology that you might have seen in a typical home in 1970? In 1900? The Time-Warp Project is dedicated to preserving information about the advance of technology. The site lets visitors go decade by decade through illustrations of living rooms and other home settings, with a focus on recorded media, calculating […]
- Physics
Sounds of Music
Interested in the relationship between musical instruments and the physics of sound? This Rice University Web site offers illustrated explanations of physics terms such as pitch, frequency, and standing waves. It also demonstrates tuning systems, intervals, octaves, and more. There’s a quiz at the end of each module. Go to: http://cnx.rice.edu/content/m11060/latest/
- Planetary Science
Journey to Mars
The rugged Mars Exploration Rover (MER) is scheduled to land on Mars on Jan. 4, 2004. A variety of Web sites offer information about the exploration of Mars and Mars rovers. Check out the official MER Web site for background information and up-to-the-minute reports. San Francisco’s Exploratorium Web site highlights various Mars-related activities. Go to: […]
- Earth
Seasonal Weather
The Aboriginal people of Australia had their own way of defining the seasons, based on local weather patterns. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has created a Web site that illustrates several of these seasonal weather calendars, established thousands of years ago. Unlike the European and American spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the indigenous versions often include […]
- Earth
Seasonal Weather
The Aboriginal people of Australia had their own way of defining the seasons, based on local weather patterns. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has created a Web site that illustrates several of these seasonal weather calendars, established thousands of years ago. Unlike the European and American spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the indigenous versions often include […]
- Health & Medicine
Discovery of Insulin
In 1923, the Nobel Prize in Medicine went to Frederick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod for their part in the discovery of insulin. This site documents that discovery and the initial development of insulin to alleviate suffering from diabetes. Part of the University of Toronto Libraries’ digital collection, the site features more than 7,000 images, reproducing […]
- Physics
Particle Interactions
The world’s leading particle physics laboratories have collaborated to provide a one-stop online resource for communicating research in the world of particle physics. Updated daily, the site provides news stories, science policy papers, conference information, and much more. An image bank contains photos and illustrations showing accelerators, detectors, particle collisions, historical events, aerial views, and […]
- Math
Fractal World
Created by Michael Frame, Benoit Mandelbrot, and Nial Neger of Yale University, these Web pages serve as a remarkably comprehensive source of information on fractal geometry. The site offers basic definitions, many illustrations, and lots of mathematical details. Topics include natural fractals and dimensions, iterated function systems, the complex Newton’s method, fractals in art and […]
-
Common Cold
This Web site offers a wide range of material concerning the common cold. The available information includes an overview of how the cold virus invades the human body and how cold symptoms are caused. The site also has pages on preventing colds and about some of the complications that can occur. Check out the special […]
- Humans
Everyday Mysteries
Why do onions make you cry? What causes the noise when you crack a joint? How does sunscreen work? The Library of Congress offers “everyday mysteries” Web pages devoted to answering such questions. The archive includes responses to questions in a wide range of fields, from anthropology to zoology. Go to: http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/archive.html
- Tech
Craft Tech
The Craft Technology Group at the University of Colorado, Boulder, interweaves computation with craft materials both new and old. This Web site offers glimpses of innovative projects involving the use of software to design mechanical toys and paper sculptures, embedding computation and behavior in simple objects such as tacks and hinges, developing affordable three-dimensional printing, […]
