Science Surfing
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Beams of Our Lives
What are energy beams? How do they carry information, cure disease, illuminate distant points, or create images on our television screens? Answers to these and other questions you probably never thought to ask can be found on a Web site hosted by the Center for Beam Physics at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Funky stick […]
- Health & Medicine
Obesity and Genetics
Studies show that genes are a significant factor in developing obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide an online guide to the problem of obesity and insights into current research on the genetics of obesity. Go to: http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/training/perspectives/obesity.htm
- Animals
Dragonfly Glitter
Dragonflies bring a lot of glitter to glamour shots. Texas A&M’s entomology program offers a variety of stunning images to illustrate the considerable diversity of dragonfly species. A video captures a female laying eggs, and a sequence of images shows how junior grows up. Go to: http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~fmitchel/dragonfly/index.html
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Follow that Fossil!
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers an introduction to the process of finding fossils and learning from them about the past. The museum’s Web site describes the prospecting, excavation, preparation, and exhibition of various types of plant and animal specimens. Go to: http://www.dmns.org/denverbasin2/fossil/
- Physics
Sandcastle Physics
Just about anyone can build a sandcastle out of wet sand. Why sand behaves as it does–on the beach, during earthquakes, at low pressures–isn’t yet fully understood. A NASA space shuttle experiment is now slated to tackle details of what happens when sand is compressed. Go to: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/11jul_mgm.htm
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Let’s Go to Lascaux
Take a virtual trip to France’s Lascaux Cave. Gawk at the prehistoric paintings and engravings while learning about the site’s history, scientific work performed there, and Stone Age art techniques. Go to: http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/fr/index.html
- Humans
Building America
The “Building America” online exhibition by the National Building Museum provides a vividly illustrated overview of U.S. achievements in architecture, engineering, construction, planning, design, and landscaping. Timelines chronicle the evolution of buildings, from houses to skyscrapers, and environments, from historic New England towns to contemporary suburbs. Essays delve into the forces that affected U.S. architecture […]
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Ketchup’s Shear Mystery
Shifting suddenly from a thick paste to a runny liquid when shaken or jarred, ketchup is one of many complex fluids that share a property called “shear thinning.” A NASA Web page highlights an upcoming space experiment aimed at elucidating the basic physics of these fluids. Go to: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/07jun_elastic_fluids.htm
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Remember Typewriters?
Richard Polt, a philosophy professor at Xavier University, celebrates a (nearly) obsolete technology at his “Classic Typewriter Page.” His site features a brief history of typewriters, facts about the “little charmers” known as Remington portables, and many other tidbits of information concerning this handy writing device. Go to: http://xavier.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters.html
- Computing
Scouring the Web
Looking for the perfect Web search engine? It probably doesn’t exist, but you can find out the strengths, weaknesses, and quirks of various Net-scouring tools at the “Search Engine Showdown” Web site, maintained by Montana State University librarian Greg R. Notess. Check out the inconsistencies report and sample tips for efficient searching. Go to: http://www.notess.com/search/
- Physics
Super Conductors
Materials that conduct electricity without resistance are known as superconductors. Explore the basic physics and potential applications of these fascinating materials at the American Physical Society’s Physics Central Web site. Go to: http://www.physicscentral.com/action/action-01-3.html
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Eclipse Patrol
The first lunar eclipse of the year 2000 will be visible from North and South America on the evening of Jan. 20. Fred Espenak’s eclipse home page at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Web site provides a complete guide to upcoming eclipses of the sun and moon. Go to: http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html
