2/11/00
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“The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) has introduced a major breakthrough in making scientific information available to researchers in a more timely and comprehensive manner.
The PrePRINT Network (http://www.osti.gov/preprints) (PPN) is a new Web-based tool that provides access to the papers, draft journal articles, and other electronic materials produced by researchers. At numerous sites throughout the country, databases and Web sites exist on servers that contain this information for specific projects or disciplines; the PrePRINT Network, in effect, combines those dispersed servers into a comprehensive set of energy research information and makes them all searchable via a single query.
Using this valuable asset, researchers can browse or search one specific preprint site, a selected set of sites, or all of the listed sites. With a single query, users can search one or a collection of existing preprint servers. The PPN facilitates access to and searching of preprints by linking to preprint servers wherever they exist on the Web. The PPN pulses the search engines of such servers, compiles the results, and returns them to the users.
In this manner, the PPN provides links to 250 preprint sites housing over 215,000 documents, and over twenty heterogeneous preprint databases are available for distributed cross-searching via a single query. Collections and resources included on the PPN are provided by academic institutions, government research laboratories, scientific societies, private research organizations, and individual scientists and researchers.
The PPN is the latest in a series of Web-based services developed by OSTI and made available to the public through EnergyFiles (http://www.osti.gov/EnergyFiles) DOE's virtual library of energy science and technology. With the addition of PPN, EnergyFiles captures the three main ways by which researchers disseminate their findings: grey literature (the DOE Information Bridge); journal literature (PubSCIENCE); and preprints.
For more information, please contact R. L. Scott, Director for Project and Program Development, Office of Scientific and Technical Information, at (865) 576-1193.”
1. Ice and Snow Database
http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/wdcc/icesnow.htm
“SPRILIB Ice and Snow is a new resource covering glaciological topics worldwide with
32,000 references. There is no charge for access. Most but not all items are in SPRI Library.
This database is maintained by World Data Centre for Glaciology, Cambridge.”
2. ASTIS
http://www.aina.ucalgary.ca/astis
“The ASTIS database, containing 46,000 records describing publications and research
projects about northern Canada, is now available on the Web. ASTIS (the Arctic Science and
Technology Information System) is maintained by the Arctic Institute of North America at the
University of Calgary and is made available on the Web for free with support from the Canadian
Polar Commission.
ASTIS includes all subjects, and covers all of Canada north of the southern limit of discontinuous permafrost as well as adjacent marine areas. The publications cited in the database include both gray and peer-reviewed literature published from 1978 to the present. The 10,800 research project descriptions in ASTIS cover the period from 1974 to the present and are based on information supplied by the organizations that liscence field research in northern Canada.
ASTIS can be searched from a Simple Search page, an Advanced Search page and by clicking on hyperlinks in database records. Searchable fields include words from titles and abstracts, broad subject and geographic codes, detailed subject and geographic terms, personal and corporate authors, year and record type.
Your comments and suggestions on ASTIS would be appreciated by Ross Goodwin.”
3. SPRILIB Russian North
http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/lib/spriruss.htm
“There are currently 19,024 records, listing works published from 1671 through to 1999
concerning northern Russia and Siberia. Search SPRILIB Russian North by subject term (in the
uppermost search box), author, place, general field or date of publication.”
AAAS has made the following available:
Also see:
Clinton Proposes Jump In Federal IT Research (http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000128S0004)
“President Clinton in his State of the Union address Thursday night proposed nearly a $3
billion increase in science and research initiatives that are designed to extend Americans'
lives and their booming economy.” (From CMP's TechWeb News).
For the entire budget full text, see
2001 U.S. Federal Budget (http://w3.access.gpo.gov/usbudget/index.html).
The text of the proposed budget is available at this web address, and also linked from the
NSF Library “Finding Government Information” page!
I have revamped my webpage on Ethics in Scientific Research. Broken links have been repaired, new links have been added, and the page has been reorganized so it is more logical and easier to use. It is a relatively short webpage with links to directories, publications, organizations, policy statements, etc. If anyone is interested in receiving the html for this webpage, please contact sbianchi@nsf.gov.
By the way, if you have asked me for webpages or information in the past and I have not responded, please ask again. I sometimes get swamped and lose requests …
7 Materials Chemistry titles from Elsevier Science are now availalble in the ChemWeb.com Library (http://chemweb.com/library):
All are available completely FREE of charge for 3 months! Free registration to ChemWeb required.
ENC Focus: A Magazine for Classroom Innovators
http://www.enc.org/focus/
From the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, located at The Ohio State University, Focus
is a free “electronic magazine for K-12 classroom teachers striving to improve mathematics and
science education.” In the current issue, a variety of articles and Web resources explore
topics like The Reality of Change (about the challenges of change math and science teachers face),
Integrating Technology in the Classroom, Inquiry and Problem Solving (about how teachers around the
country have attempted to foster the desire for inquiry and problem solving in their students), and
Innovative Curriculum Materials (includes articles on how educators are “creating, choosing,
and using, unconventional and innovative science and math resources”). With a grants section,
an Internet resources section, and free subscription to the print version, this site is a useful and
informative source of ideas for science and math educators at the K-12 level.
[KR] (From the Scout Report)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences [.pdf] (Free registration required)
http://www.mdpi.org/ijms/
Single Molecules [.pdf]
http://www.wiley-vch.de/berlin/journals/singmol/
Published online by MDPI (Molecular Diversity Preservation International), the
International Journal of Molecular Sciences has posted its first issue as of
January 2000. This peer-reviewed quarterly aims to provide “an advanced forum for
chemistry, molecular physics (chemical physics and physical chemistry) and molecular
biology,” while also publishing reviews and short notes. The first issue is brief, and
currently, the journal is calling for papers. The journal is free for the time being. To gain
access, users are required send in an email to obtain a free user-ID and password. Also,
another new journal, Single Molecules, from Wiley Interscience, “will
provide researchers with a broad overview of current methods and techniques, recent
applications and shortcomings of present techniques in the field of single molecules.”
With temporary free access, the journal's latest issue contains a few full-text articles,
with more articles being regularly added. This journal is also currently calling for papers.
[KR] (From the Scout Report)
Reactive Reports Webzine
http://www.acdlabs.com/webzine
“David Bradley, Science Writer, and Advanced Chemistry Development are proud to announce
the release of Reactive Reports, a new web-based Chemistry Magazine. Reactive Reports will
provide the chemistry community with cutting edge reports of exciting developments in the
world of the chemical sciences and related fields.
David Bradley is an award-winning science journalist based in Cambridge, England. He is a chemist by training and was, for several years, deputy editor for the RSC's primary research journal Chemical Communications. He writes a weekly column for ChemWeb's The Alchemist and has contributed to a wide variety of other publications including Science, New Scientist, Chemistry in Britain and Chemistry & Industry. He can be reached through his Elemental Discoveries web site at www.sciencebase.com.“
Athena Review
http://www.athenapub.com/
ISSN 1083-4141
Athena Review is a journal of archaeology, history, and exploration published quarterly by Athena
Publications, Inc. Articles on both Old and New World archaeology are written by a variety of
archaeologists, journalists, and other investigators, aimed at a general audience with readership
in a number of countries. Each issue combines fully-illustrated feature articles on selected major
archaeological regions with coverage of recent finds, plus reviews of books, videos, and internet
sites. The website at
www.athenapub.com,
free to all, provides on-line articles from each issue along with a growing image archive with
photos, maps, and site plans. The larger, more inclusive printed issue costs $16 for a 4-issue
subscription, with back issues available at $5 each (email for subscriptions is
athenarev1@aol.com).
Policy.com: In the Tanks
http://www.policy.com/community/inthetanks.html
Policy.com,
a policy news and information center, has just published online volume one, issue one of a monthly
newsletter that will update readers on recent research and publications in political and social
policy from American think tanks. This first issue provides a history of the origins and evolution
of this fundamentally American invention. [DC] (From the Scout Report)
AAAS Evaluation of Middle School Science Textbooks
http://www.project2061.org/newsinfo/press/rl092899.htm
Not one of the widely used science textbooks for middle school was rated satisfactory by Project
2061, the long-term science, mathematics, and technology education reform initiative of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). And the new crop of texts that have
just entered the market fared no better in the evaluation.
The in-depth study found that most textbooks cover too many topics and don't develop any of them well. All texts include many classroom activities that either are irrelevant to learning key science ideas or don't help students relate what they are doing to the underlying ideas.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) [.pdf]
http://www.ndltd.org/
ETD Digital Library [.pdf]
http://www.theses.org/
Based at Virginia Tech, one of the first universities to require students to develop and submit
electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), the NDLTD works internationally to make student research
more available to scholars, reduce the cost of submitting and maintaining manuscripts, and advance
digital library technology more generally. At the homepage, users will find a number of resources and
news items regarding these efforts. The project's digital library provides access to the full text
(most in .pdf format) of a large number of ETDs via the list of University Nodes and related sites.
Most of the linked sites allow users to both browse and search for dissertations. Users can also try
a working prototype of a federated search engine that performs parallel queries across several dozen
search sites provided by participants in the project. Please note that some ETDs are only available
to campus users. [MD] (From the Scout Report)
WebExhibits
http://www.webexhibits.com/
WebExhibits provides a handy directory of online exhibits presented in a friendly interface. Browse
the categories or search the database for an open learning experience. The site is frequently updated
to check back often. (From Blue Web'n) Also check the
Online Exhibits Hotlist.
In my last newsletter I mentioned a couple of websites that will generate machine translations from various languages (usually English) into various other languages (usually Western European) and vice versa. Several folks sent me their favorite links, and I reproduce them here. (Forgive me if I miss a few attributions! I try to be good, but alas, I am not perfect …)
“For those of you who have a lot of non-English language visitors to your English-language Web sites, you may want to check out http://www.wordreference.com/, which offers a free service that makes every word on your Web page translatable to Spanish, German, French, and Italian. Your visitors will need to have JavaScript enabled to use this tool. Apparently the tool works with either Netscape or IE.” (From ResearchBuzz)
Translation Services Directory – Lists 3,000 translators. [This link sent to me by Kate Creegan]
The following are recommended by Caryn Wesner-Early:
The EFA 2000 Assessment: Country Reports
http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/wef/countryreports/home.html
Sponsored by the World Education Forum and UNESCO, the Education for All (EFA) 2000 Assessment is an
extraordinarily in-depth evaluation of basic education in some 180 countries. The substantial report
posted for each country contains data and analysis concerning fundamental issues of education,
including statistics on enrollment, literacy, educational levels of teachers, and academic and
vocational education; as well as an overall evaluation of early childhood, primary, and secondary
instruction; and much more. Eventually, the reports will be listed by region and a search engine will
be available; currently though, users must browse by country. More countries's reports are to be
added as they are completed. [DC] (From the Scout Report)
Global Water Sampling Project
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/waterproj/
Join Students around the World in this Environmental Study! For the fifth year, students are teaming
up around the globe to test fresh water. Join us in this collaborative project and compare the water
quality of your local river, stream, lake or pond with other fresh water sources around the world.
The project has three specific purposes:
Sponsored by the Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE)
National Resources Inventory [.pdf, 703K]
http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/NRI/1997/
From the National Resources Conservation Service and the US Department of Agriculture, the recently
released 1997 National Resources Inventory provides a statistically-based account of “conditions
and trends of soil, water, and related resources” on US non-federal lands, including data on
wetlands, conservation practices, farmland, land use, and more. The makers claim, “it is the
most comprehensive database of its kind ever attempted anywhere in the world.” The site provides
the complete report (.pdf format), as well as links offering discussion in the form of an introduction,
background, data gathering, statistical design, statistical estimation, a glossary, and results and
analysis. Individual sections contain additional documentation. This is an unusual and comprehensive
resource for those in need of national resources statistics. [KR] (From the Scout Report)
Virtual Field Trips
http://www.field-guides.com/
Take your students on nature field trips through the Web. Each field trip covers a single topic such
as salt marshes or volcanoes. Sites are arranged in sequential order to build a story and include a
series of “trail markers” or stops, that describe each site on the field trip to guide
students' learning. If logs or journals are required, every field trip has a set of prepared documents
that you can print out for each person on the trip. Also included are short teacher's guides and
selected other Web sites that provide background or curriculum guidance. (From Blue Web'N)
Texas Information Literacy Tutorial
http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu/
To familiarize a large number of students with fundamental research skills, the Digital Information
Literacy Office at the University of Texas at Austin developed this online tutorial. TILT is a
Web-based, educational site designed to teach undergraduates fundamental research skills. In each
module students will learn concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of
each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes
less than 30 minutes to complete. (From Blue Web'N)
FishBase [.zip]
http://www.fishbase.org/
Subtitled “A Global Information System on Fishes,” this site does indeed seem to
offer everything you ever wanted to know about fishes. The heart of the site is two databases,
FishBase and LarvalBase, the first containing information on over 23,000 species (91,000 common
names), 41,000 synonyms, 18,000 pictures, and 17,000 references; the latter featuring 400 species,
500 pictures, and 700 references. Both databases can be keyword searched or browsed by common name
or scientific name. Entries include family, order, class, English name, distribution, biology,
environment, climate zone, and additional information. Entries also offer a number of links for
more species-specific data such as synonyms, countries, key facts, pictures, FAO areas, spawning,
reproduction, predators, diet composition, and more. The search page for each database features a
searchable glossary and reference database, and information by topic. In addition, the main
FishBase page offers downloads, a Fish Forum, a biodiversity quiz, and a link to the expanded
LarvalBase at the University of Kiel. [MD] (From the Scout Report)
Secrets of the Ice – An Antarctic Exploration [Quicktime, RealPlayer G2]
http://www.secretsoftheice.org/
This new site from the Museum of Science in Boston offers an introduction to the environment
of Antarctica and research being conducted there. Inspired by a four-year Antarctic expedition
currently underway by a group of scientists based at the University of New Hampshire, the site
will follow their progress and report the latest findings. At the site, visitors can learn about
the climate and environment of the frozen continent, read about ice core research, view
background information on the expedition, browse the latest reports and photos from the research
team, and listen to archived broadcasts. Users can also send in questions or suggest experiments
to the team. The site includes a number of animations, illustrations, photos, related links for
more information, and some learning resources for educators. [MD] (From the Scout Report)
State of the Cryosphere
http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu/PROJECTS/SOTC/
From the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the new State of the Cryosphere Website discusses
the cryosphere and its close relationship to “climate variability.” Cryospheric
regions, or areas where water is found in solid forms, are highly sensitive to changes in
temperature. This is because snow and ice “exist relatively close to their melting point
and frequently change phase from solid to liquid and back again.” The implications of
climate change and fluctuations in Northern Hemisphere snow cover, sea ice, mountain glaciers,
and sea level are explored here. The site contains helpful links, an introduction, a glossary,
and references. [KR] (From the Scout Report)
Inuit and Englishman: The Nunavut Voyages of Martin Frobisher
http://www.civilization.ca/membrs/canhist/frobisher/frint01e.html
Sponsored by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, this site explores the voyage of Englishman
Martin Frobisher to the New World in his efforts to find the Northwest Passage to Asia. Instead,
he found Baffin Bay in the Canadian Northwest and its Inuit natives. The site is rich with both
archaeological and historical information gleaned from sites on and near Kodlunarn Island where
Frobisher and his men set up camp, and from historical documents held in British museums.
Included here are historical and contemporary maps of the area, photographs of the archaeological
sites, extracts from the logs of Frobisher and his men, and more. The site's objectivity makes
the ironies and injustices that resulted from this encounter of European explorers with native
peoples all the more apparent. [D] (From the Scout Report)
Human-Reindeer/Caribou Systems
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~arctic/rangifer/
This has links to a vast number of resources on Reindeer and Caribou, from basic educational
links to photo galleries, managing herds, cultural perspectives, research, and more. The Report
and Research Plan of the recent Reindeer/Caribou Systems Workshop (Feb 1999) is found at the
“Development of a Research Plan” section on the web site, where it can be downloaded
as a PDF file or reviewed on-line.
You are also invited to join the newly established Human-Reindeer/Caribou Systems listserv by going to the “Join the Discussion” section of the home page.
Voyage to the Deep
http://www.ocean.udel.edu/deepsea/
This is a great site presented by the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies and Sea
Grant College Program and WHYY-TV with financial support from the National Science Foundation.
It requires the Quick-Time Plug In (free). It represents dives of Alvin, the deep-sea exploring
vessel. Covered are:
Douglas Henderson's Earth History Illustrations
http://gallery.in-tch.com/~earthhistory/
This fabulous website by professional illustrator Douglas Henderson provides rich images of past
geologic eras. The drawings, following the geologic timeline, are breathtaking, and are
accompanied by helpful text. They include animals and plants as well as geologic features.
“The story science has uncovered asks us to imagine distant realms, places and events: ancient forests, seas, landscapes and a parade through time of amazing creatures, all both strange and yet familiar.
Scientific illustration is one means of exploring this past, combining some measure of appreciation for the scientific work and data with the curious foible we have to want to see what we haven't seen.”
Smithsonian Expeditions
http://www.nmnh.si.edu/anthro/laexped/
The venerable Smithsonian celebrates 150 years of scientific and cultural research in Latin
America with this elegant, bilingual multimedia presentation. The exhibit depicts a variety
of explorations and the people who made them happen – including an 1838 voyage for
mapping and collecting on the South American coastline, the late 19th century digs of
archaeologist William Henry Holmes in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, and botanist Agnes
Chase's 1924 travels in Brazil on behalf of the U.S. National Herbarium. In addition to
images, maps, and diary excerpts, you'll find biographical essays about the intrepid
travelers. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
I-Crank – Portal page for mechanical engineering
http://www.icrank.com/
This is a very nicely done portal page and search engine for mechanical engineering on
the web. It includes links to reference sources (Reference books, Design codes &
specifications, Material data, Machining data, Units conversion, Physical constants),
technical knowledge resources (General, Design processes, Materials, Patents, Component
technology, Manufacturing process technology, Industry specific), jobs, conferences,
professional associations, and more! It also presents one of those very useful special
search engines that will limit your search to only portions of the web that specifically
address mechanical engineering. However, be sure to “check the specs” as
this search engine is NOT very flexible (no Boolean operators allowed, for instance).
Tunneling Under the Hudson River
http://www.tmk.com/books/tunnel/tunnel.shtml
Though we rarely call our readers' attention to pages sponsored by individuals (rather than
institutions), Tunneling Under the Hudson River, by S.D.V. Burr, A.M., originally
published by John Wiley and Sons in 1885, is a fascinating historical record of an engineering
feat. The illustrated, online book, made available on Terrence M. Kennedy's Consulting Page,
provides a first-hand account of the engineering challenges, difficulties, and experience
gained from undertaking a tunneling venture of such magnitude in the late 1800s.
[KR] (From the Scout Report)
It's worth the trip just for the illustrations!
Smart Road Pavement Research HomePage
http://cesun1.ce.vt.edu/tise/smart/
Roanoke Times Smart Road Page
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/smart/testbed.html
Dubbed “the Smart Road” by Virginia's Department of Transportation, this full-scale
facility for pavement research and evaluation of high-tech transportation systems uses computers,
electronics, and satellites to create a realistic environment for collecting traffic and
environmental data under controlled conditions, “and should advance the general
understanding of the engineering behavior of pavement systems.” The first of these two sites,
from the Virginia Tech Civil Engineering Materials Program, provides information from the
researchers who have designed the Smart Road. The page contains a description of the project's
current status, an explanation of objectives, construction photos, a detailed description of the
instrumentation used, and data. Note, the research plan and testing links are still under
construction. The next site, from the Roanoke Times, features a Smart Road Page with
good reference information on the project. The site contains FAQs, links, news clips, maps, and
more. These sites introduce an interesting project for highway and transportation engineers.
[KR] (From the Scout Report)
International Chindogu Society
http://www.pitt.edu/~ctnst3/chindogu.html
Derived from the Japanese words dogu (“tool”) and chin
(“weird”), the International Chindogu Society celebrates useless but clever
inventions, or “weird tools.” An automatic noodle cooler, a cat tongue soother
(don't ask, we have no idea!), a portable zebra crossing – they're all here, and then
some. There's also a membership application form, because we know you're dying to join the
club. Enjoy. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
This site is a bit heavy on the hype and slow to load, but who can resist a peek at the
endless creativity of the human race …
Links for Chemists (frames)
http://www.liv.ac.uk/Chemistry/Links/links.html
(no frames)
http://www.liv.ac.uk/Chemistry/Links/vertimenu.html
This is an excellent portal page for all things chemistry. The page is well
arranged, it provides links to just about every topic or category of information you can
imagine, it is incredibly thorough. Wow!
Bad Astronomy
http://www.badastronomy.com/info/prof.html
This site by Phil Plait is an absolute gem! Since the majority of Americans (if not the
majority of all the world's citizens) get most of their science notions from the entertainment
media, which really does not make much of an effort to get its science right – or even
plausible – it is always a treat to find a site that sets us all straight – even if
most of us “are not listening”. Phil Plait points out specific instances of bad
astronomy from the movies, tv, news stories, etc., and sets the record straight. This is
fascinating reading, and an excellent teaching tool, besides! (Thanks to Netsurfer Science for
pointing me to this site)
Streaming Space
http://www.broadcast.com/edu/scienceandspace/
Yahoo recently acquired the Broadcast.com webpage, which is a listing of streaming audio/video
sites. The “Science and Space” subcategory under the Children's category (aren't
adults interested in this stuff, too?) appears to be in its infancy, heavy on “Space”
and very light on “Science” other than space, but it is still a neat place to look
for multimedia presentations!
Hawaiian Astronomical Society
http://www.hawastsoc.org/
The Deepsky Atlas, containing monthly sky charts, is “the product of a long term effort to
provide a good online atlas of the heavens, combined with photographs of significant objects, and
their descriptions.” Included is an alphabetical list of constellations. Each has an object
description, the myth associated with it, a map of its location in the sky, and images. Listings of
Messier's, Caldwell's, Bennett's, and additional objects, are available. There is also a background
of Charles Messier, a link to sunrise and sunset tables for the Hawaiian Islands (see Bishop Museum
Sky Maps page), and related links. – dl From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Hubble Reopens Eye on the Universe [.pdf, .tiff]
http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2000/07/index.html
Hubble Opens its Eye on the Universe and Captures a Cosmic Magnifying Glass [.pdf, .tiff]
http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2000/08/index.html
The Hubble Telescope has reopened for business following the successful December 1999 servicing
mission, and the first images to come back are magnificent. The first of these sites offers
images and explanatory text related to the “Eskimo” Nebula, “the glowing remains
of a dying, Sun-like star.” The nebula is called the “Eskimo” because, when
viewed from a ground-based telescope, it resembles a face surrounded by a fur parka. This parka is
actually “a disk of material embellished with a ring of comet-shaped objects, with their
tails streaming away from the central, dying star.” Users can read about the nebula and view
some beautiful images at the above URL. The second significant new view from the Hubble is of a huge
cluster of galaxies called Abell 2218. This cluster is so massive that it actually deflects light
passing through it, magnifying and distorting images from distant objects. Thus, “the
cluster's magnifying powers provides a powerful ‘zoom lens’ for viewing distant galaxies
that could not normally be observed with the largest telescopes.” Text and photos in several
formats can be accessed from the introductory page. [MD] (From the Scout Report)
Russian Space Agency
http://www.rka.ru/english/eindex.htm
History of the Russian space program, current projects, international cooperation, photo and
video archives, and more! Some parts of the site are in Russian only, but most are also in
English.
Steiner Surfaces
http://www.ipfw.edu/math/Coffman/steinersurface.html
OK, ok, math was my weakest subject. I don't understand what a Steiner Surface is, exactly,
but I know a good webpage when I see it … at least, I think I do.
“Let p0, p1, p2, p3 be quadratic polynomials in two variables u, v. This means they're of the form pi(u,v)=Au2+Buv+Cv2+Du+Ev+F for constant coefficients A, B, C, D, E, F. If you plot the parametric graph (x,y,z)=(p1/p0 , p2/p0 , p3/p0) for some range of input values u, v, the image should be a two-dimensional surface in (x,y,z)-space. It's called a Steiner surface patch, but what does it look like? This web site lists all the different geometric types of Steiner surfaces. Usually, graphing polynomial quotients only gives a patch – a part of the whole surface. The mathematical setting for describing the entire surface is projective geometry.”
This one has descriptions, discussion, and graphics of Roman surface, cross-cap, real projective plane, Whitney's Umbrella, Plücker's Conoid, Boy Surface.
The Titanic: What Can Numbers Tell Us About Her Fatal Voyage?
http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/titanic.html
“One of today's hottest topics is the discussion of ‘The Titanic’ – the
movie – and its stars. But what do you know about the REAL Titanic? its passengers? its
crew? This webquest will help you … to explore these topics and look at them from a
mathematical perspective. In the process, you will find not only interesting facts and dramatic
stories, but also numerous statistics related to the event. The statistics tell stories of their
own. It will be your job to discover some of these stories and share your results.“
LivingInternet.com
http://livinginternet.com/
Billing itself “the net's most comprehensive source of information about the
Internet,” this site from computer scientist Bill Stewart offers an excellent overview
of the Internet and its six main technologies. The site is divided into seven sections,
covering the Internet, E-Mail, the World Wide Web, Usenet Newsgroups, Internet Relay Chat,
Multi-User Dimensions, and Mailing Lists. “Each section describes how the technology
was invented, how it works, advanced usage, help resources, and other useful and entertaining
information.” In addition, each section also features links to authoritative and useful
related sites. This clear and concise guide offers a balance of basic and advanced information
that will appeal to both new and experienced users alike. [MD] (From the Scout Report)
Native American Basketry
http://www.nativetech.org/coil/
Examples of Nipmuc splint, coil, and pine needle basketry are on this site, which details
the work of the Native Americans of the eastern woodlands of the United States. Includes
illustrations, instructions, history, and basket designs. From NativeTech: Native American
Technology and Art. – msc (From Librarians Index to the Internet)
One only wishes the illustrations were in color, and were larger. They are accompanied by
helpful text and instructions, however, as well as by links to other basketry sites.
Encyclopedia of Law and Economics
http://encyclo.findlaw.com/
Publishers: Edward Elgar and the University of Ghent
General Editors: Boudewijn Bouckaert (Univ. Ghent), Gerrit De Geest (Univ. Ghent and Univ.
Utrecht)
The Encyclopedia of Law & Economics attempts to provide a survey of the whole law &
economics literature, with a total number of pages of approximately 3,000.
Each subject or geographical entry contains two elements: a review of the literature, written by an authority in the field, followed a quasi complete searchable bibliography (not just a selection).
Virtual Library on the Information City
http://www.informationcity.org/resources/
This Website, based at New York University's Taub Urban Research Center, is part of a project
dedicated to expanding “the body of knowledge on information technology and urban
development.” The site currently offers over 100 annotated links to sites organized under
the headings Architecture and Urban Design, Economic Development, Geography of Communications,
History, Modeling and Simulation, Politics and Government, Telecommunications, and the
Information Society. The site offers simple and advanced search mechanisms, a listing of newly
added sites, and an opportunity to suggest sites to the academic team responsible for the project.
A current research section also features an as-yet modest collection of working papers in .pdf
format on related topics. The Virtual Library is supported by funding from the National Science
Foundation. [DC] (From the Scout Report)
Tracking Major Economic Indicators on the World Wide Web
http://www.methodist.edu/business/tracking.htm
This site from the Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC has a brief definition of each of the
types of economic indicators and then provides links to news and data sites on the web.
Indicators covered include:
Evolution of Alphabets
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~rfradkin/
“This eloquent and informative exploration of early alphabets uses animation to demonstrate
the transformation of written characters over time. We watched ancient Sumerian pictograms morph
into cuneiform characters that resemble bird tracks on a beach – and Phoenician characters
emerge as a shorthand from the ancient representational writing of the Sinai desert. We watched
these Phoenician characters rotate and flip as the Greek alphabet reversed direction from left to
right, and morph before our eyes into familiar ABCs. Cool stuff.”
(From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Note that the animations are complete and ready for viewing, but the text is still under
construction, so it is not obvious what you are seeing. Still worth a look, even at these early
stages!
The following items are from Edupage. To subscribe to Edupage: send mail to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: subscribe edupage Anonymous (if your name is Anonymous; otherwise, substitute your own name). To unsubscribe send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: unsubscribe edupage. (If you have subscription problems, send mail to: manager@educom.unc.edu.)
SUPERCOMPUTER IS NEW KID ON WEATHER BLOCK
The new IBM SP computer at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction in Bowie, Md., is
helping scientists better predict snow storms like the one that descended on the East Coast
Thursday morning. “It has put us closer to our goal of being America's no-surprise weather
service,” says John Kelly Jr., director of the U.S. Weather service. The computer, one of
the world's two fastest, is currently capable of performing 690 billion calculations per second.
Once it has been adjusted to its full potential in September, it will be 28 times faster, capable
of 2.5 trillion calculations per second. The IBM SP replaces an older Cray C-90 and is on lease
until 2002 for $35 million.
(Washington Times, 20 Jan 2000 via Edupage)
WEB CHANGES DIRECTION TO PEOPLE SKILLS
Computer-automated indexes that once ruled Web search engines are now more often listings that
depend on human minds to classify the information on the Net. Yahoo! editor in chief Srinija
Srinivasan spends her days figuring out the difference between what matters to people and what
does not and how to form directories. The top five search sites are based chiefly on
human-generated directories as of December. In the past, search engines dispatched software
“spiders” to collect and index reports. However, sites gathered by hand have proven
to be more popular and relevant for the user. NewHoo, the first man-powered search, was bought
by Netscape and thus AOL, and was renamed the Open Directory Project. It has cataloged 84,000
sites, done mostly by volunteers. Most Web users are not aware of the shift to using human
directories, and today most sites use both methods to search, combining them to form a hybrid
search.
(USA Today, 24 Jan 2000 via Edupage)
START-UP PLANS EDUCATION MARKETPLACE
EduPoint.com is trying to aggregate most of the educational courses offered by North American
institutions, both public and private. The start-up intends to create an Internet marketplace
for education, and EduPoint.com already claims over 1.5 million courses available at roughly
3,000 institutions. The company is offering free access to corporations for their employees.
EduPoint President Jeff Creighton says educational providers are happy to pay the commission
of 6 percent to 12 percent of the course fee because they get access to thousands of potential
students, without spending more on marketing. EduPoint.com is also offering course providers
tools that will permit them to upload their course catalogs to EduPoint.com's database more
easily. The company is also offering course providers and companies data capabilities so
companies can discover what courses their workers are taking and how they are doing.
(Interactive Week, 24 Jan 2000 via Edupage)
INTERNET RAISES STICKY QUESTIONS ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF IP IN ACADEMIA
Debates over the ownership of intellectual property are mounting as the Internet creates
opportunities to capitalize on writings, lecture notes, and inventions developed by university
faculty members. One especially controversial issue relating to intellectual property is the
online sale of professors' class notes. Professors can obtain copyright protection by scripting
their lectures, and students can take notes without violating the copyright because of fair use
laws, says Roberta Rosenthal Kwall, DePaul University College of Law professor of intellectual
property. However, copyright issues arise if the notes are sold, Kwall says. The sale of class
notes is part of the larger issue of whether professors or universities own the materials
created by professors. Universities have traditionally given faculty members the intellectual
property rights to their own work, but with the possibility of profiting from creations such as
computer inventions, schools are now more likely to claim property rights, says New York
University law professor Rochelle Dreyfuss. Federal copyright law says academic institutions
own the copyrights on their professors' lectures, but the ownership of articles and books is
more complicated, says Lewis and Clark College of Law professor Lydia Loren. Copyright law is
rooted in the idea that employers have the right to control an employee's work – a notion
that is contrary to the concept of academic freedom, Loren says. The American Association of
University Professors has formed a special group to review intellectual property issues such as
the sale of class notes and create policy proposals.
(IP Law Weekly Online, 28 Jan 2000 via Edupage)
CLINTON UNVEILS $2 BILLION PROPOSAL FOR ONLINE ACCESS
President Clinton yesterday revealed the details of his multibillion-dollar proposal to ensure
that all Americans have equal access to the Internet. Clinton's plan to bridge the digital
divide offers $2 billion in tax breaks to tech companies in exchange for their participation
in the effort, $150 million in technology-training funding for teachers, $100 million for the
creation of 1,000 tech centers in low-income areas, $50 million to help low-income families
purchase computers, and $45 million to fund the creation of tech projects in low-income areas.
In addition, Clinton's plan asks for $25 million to help the industry provide broadband service
to rural and other areas, and $10 million to help train Native Americans for careers in
technology. Clinton says he hopes the plan will make Internet access as common as telephone
access in America.
(Investor's Business Daily, 3 Feb 2000 via Edupage)
COLLEGES GET NEW TOOL TO TRAIN TOMORROW'S TEACHERS IN TECHNOLOGY
School administrators' new challenge is finding teachers who know how to use new computer
equipment in the classroom. The CEO Forum on Education and Technology last month announced
a new component of its plan to address this problem. The latest version of the School
Technology and Readiness (STaR) Chart, called “Teacher Preparation,” aims to
provide teacher colleges and universities with a self-rating tool to help programs produce
technology-skilled teachers. The forum has challenged teacher colleges to make the data
that they gather public within six months. U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley, who
helped announce the StaR Chart, cited a recent study indicating that only about 20 percent
of new teachers feel very well prepared to integrate education technology into classroom
instruction. The study also found that fewer than half of U.S. teacher-preparation programs
require their students to take classes on technology-based instruction, and only Virginia,
Idaho, and North Carolina require teachers to be proficient in technology integration.
(eSchool News, February 2000 via Edupage)
SECURING A MULTICAMPUS NETWORK
George Mason University has succeeded at the difficult task of providing Internet and
intranet access to a mostly unsecured multicampus network by making users accountable for
their own IP addresses, relying on proven technology, and forming strategic alliances. GMU
has over 24,000 students at three separate campuses and remote locations, and the school
must provide access to its own intranet and the larger Internet to this distributed
population. In order to solve the problem of various LAN technologies, multiple protocols,
and a lack of compatibility, GMU embarked on the Infrastructure Project in 1994 to 1995,
with the goal of providing uniform access to all campus resources. After seamlessly
connecting the campuses, the school addressed the issue of Internet access and eventually
joined Net.Work.Virginia, which allowed GMU to buy as much bandwidth as necessary at a
monthly rate. Later the school deployed its own DS3 lines to each campus. To secure the
network, firewalls are used to protect sensitive networks and systems, although the school
could not configure a firewall to protect the campus network as a whole. The school wanted
to keep users accountable for their network use and decided to assign each student a
permanent address for which they are responsible, rather than using DHCP to share IP
addresses.
(Network Magazine Online, Feb 2000 via Edupage)
Y2K Mistakes
http://www.y2kmistakes.com/
“Some say that Y2K simply came and went. Others say that it was a hoax. We just find it funny
that, even after months of preparation by the entire world, some sites have had date and year-related
follies. We're chock full of screenshots of other sites that have had Y2K problems (and some parodies,
too!)”
How to Say No in 400 Languages
http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/no.htm
“What can I say? I have a two year old son. A highly skilled, ruthlessly *professional* two
year old son. The word ‘no’ slips out of his mouth faster than jello slips out of his
hands onto the floor. So I don't get mad, I get even: Whenever he says ‘No!’ I respond
in kind, but in a language he's never heard before.” (From Web Search News)
The site also has some annotations, but I would welcome more of them. Pronunciation hints would also be helpful. But, frankly, it is linguistically fascinating and I wish I had had this resource when my kids were two … The site also has guides to a few other simple and useful words and phrases.
All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2000. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the Scout Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. The InterNIC provides information about the Internet to the US research and education community under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation: NCR-9218742. The Government has certain rights in this material.
Blue Web'n is a searchable library of Blue-Ribbon Web sites categorized by grade level, content area, and type. Visit Blue Web'n online at http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this newsletter are those of the participants (authors), and do not necessarily represent the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation.
Finger Searcher Science Seeker. The weekly newsletter of science and science education resources on the internet direct from Canada. “ © Martin H. Badke 2000 unless otherwise noted. Reproduction in whole or in part is to be done only with written permission.”