Science Surfing
- Planetary Science
Red Planet
The imaging team of NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft has doubled the number of Mars pictures available to the public with the release of a new archive of photos. The archive contains all the pictures that were taken by Mars Global Surveyor from September 1999 through February 2000 and includes the images that were taken […]
- Physics
Origins at CERN
Starting on Nov. 11, the Exploratorium in San Francisco begins a series of Webcasts taking viewers to research laboratories around the world where scientists are investigating the origins of matter, the universe, Earth, and life itself. The first programs come from the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland, location of the world’s […]
- Math
Math on Stamps
Jeff Miller, a mathematics teacher in Florida, has assembled an amazing collection of images featuring mathematicians and mathematical ideas or events on postage stamps. Check out your favorites, from Niels Henrik Abel to Stanislaw Zaremba. Go to: http://jeff560.tripod.com/.
- Humans
Home Base for Government Science
The Science.gov Web site serves as a gateway for science information, including research results, provided by the U.S. government. Topics include agriculture and food, astronomy and space, computers and communication, energy and energy conservation, health and medicine, science education, and more. Go to: http://www.science.gov/
- Tech
Invention Playhouse
Aimed at children, the “Invention at Play” Web site offers a variety of interactive activities to encourage and exercise creativity. Developed by the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, the site accompanies a traveling exhibit that looks at similarities between the way children play and creative processes used by science and technology […]
- Archaeology
Blasts from the Past
Dig into the latest archaeological news reports, updated daily, from around the world at Archaeologica. The site also features links to Web pages on a wide range of archaeological topics, including ancient Egypt and North American rock art, and forums for discussing a variety of issues. Go to: http://www.archaeologica.org/
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The Big Birdcast
Track the autumn migration of birds across the eastern portion of the United States at the BirdCast Web site. The site presents daily analyses of weather radar images to predict migration activity and patterns. Birdwatchers can also report their observations to help scientists refine such analyses and pinpoint the favored resting places of these feathered […]
- Planetary Science
Planets in Autumn
On Sept. 22, Earth joined two other worlds in the solar system where it is northern autumn. At this NASA Web site, learn more about Earth’s September equinox and ponder the bizarre seasons of other planets. Go to: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22sep_1.htm?list110076
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Snap, Whistle, Pop at Sea
The depths of the ocean are a noisy place. Sample the sounds of the croaker fish and other denizens of the sea. Listen to the calls of various marine mammals and the racket created by a bed of snapping shrimp. Then ponder the pinging pitter-patter of rain as heard from down under. Go to: http://www.jandaenterprises.com/sounds.htm, […]
- Humans
Quack Gadgets
Have you ever heard of the Battle Creek vibratory chair, the psychograph, or the violet-ray generator ? The Minneapolis-based Museum of Questionable Medical Devices provides information about these and many other items in its large collection. Includes photos, brief histories, and links to related Web sites. Go to: http://www.mtn.org/quack/devices/devindx.htm
- Earth
Past and Future Earth
Curious about what Earth’s continents and oceans might look like 50 million years from now? Geologist Christopher R. Scotese of the University of Texas at Arlington has created a Web site devoted to plate tectonics and Earth’s geography and climate, from the deep past to the distant future. The site features maps of Earth, animations, […]
- Math
Dimensions of Math
A colorful, interactive poster serves as a portal to the realm of dimension, with destinations ranging from Flatland to hyperspace. Meet authors Madeleine L’Engle (A Wrinkle in Time), E.A. Abbott (Flatland), and Michio Kaku (Hyperspace). Ponder Penrose tilings, gravitational lenses, and tic-tac-toe on a torus. Play with geometric shapes. This fascinating Web site was originally […]
