05/22/02
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This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
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http://avel.edu.au/scitech.html
2002 Nominees
http://www.webbyawards.com/main/webby_awards/nominees.html
The list at this website reflects the best 150 Web sites in 30 categories as selected by
members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. These nominees
exemplify the very best that the Internet has to offer.
What do you think? Cast your vote for the best in the People's Voice Awards, where you decide the most outstanding site in each category.
Internet Archive: Movie Archive
http://www.archive.org/movies/
The Internet Archive “contains movies that the Prelinger Archives has digitized
(about 956 now online) and donated to the Internet Archive. The films focus mainly on
everyday life, culture, industry, and institutions in North America in the 20th century.
This is the first time that most of the films have been available to the public. They
are ‘open source movies’ -- available for viewing at no cost and with few
restrictions. About 956 films are now online.” The movies are a mish-mash of
everything, from amateur films, to commercials, to government-produced WWII films,
spanning time from the early part of the century up to the 1960s. A fair number of them
are on science or engineering topics -- some with an agenda, some purely educational.
In any case, these films are a window onto the past. Here are some examples of the
classic science offerings available:
Colin Powell
http://www.nationalacademies.org/topnews/#0430b
Bruce Alberts
http://www.nationalacademies.org/topnews/#0429
Scientific research should continue to play a key role in U.S. foreign policy,
said Secretary of State Colin Powell in an address to the 139th annual meeting
of the National Academy of Sciences. “Science and technology must inform and
support our foreign policy making in this challenging world that we live in,” he
said. “Whether the mission is supporting the President's campaign against
terrorism, implementing arms agreements, creating conditions for sustainable
development or stemming the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, the formulation of our
foreign policy must proceed from a solid scientific foundation” (audio
available, requires free RealPlayer).
Proposed restrictions on scientific publishing and international research in the wake of Sept. 11 threaten scientific progress in producing a safer, more just world, said National Academy of Sciences President Bruce Alberts in an address to the Academy's 139th annual meeting. “Clearly, the United States would be wise to more actively involve science and technology in its diplomacy,” he said. “Now is the perfect time to begin” (audio available, requires free RealPlayer).
Additional events at NAS include:
The National Academies release “Oil in the Sea: Inputs, Fates and Effects” at a one-hour public briefing on Thursday, May 23, 2002. There will be a live audio webcast (requires free RealPlayer) of the event, which begins at 11 a.m. EDT. During the briefing, questions can be submitted using an e-mail form. The webcast and the e-mail form will both be accessible on the National-Academies.org home page (http://www.national-academies.org).
The Political Science Program of the SBE Directorate at NSF has recently published “EITM: Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models”. This 61 page document is available for free on request to Jim Granato at jgranato@nsf.gov.
The NSF has recently also published the 2002 edition of “National Science Indicators” in hard copy and also in CD-ROM format. All NSF documents are free of charge. Ordering instructions are available at NSF's Publications page (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/).
Remember that NSF documents are also available full text on the WWW through the Online Document System (http://www.nsf.gov/home/menus/publications.htm).
International Young Chemistry Writer of the Year Award 2002
http://www.chemweb.com/utils/email.asp?id=9107&uid=115245
Are you 16-30? Do you want a chance to win a trip to the Spring ACS
2003 meeting in New Orleans and $2500 prize money? Why not try your
hand at writing a feature length article, of between 1000-2000
words,on a chemistry-related topic of interest.
This is the 5th year for the International Young Chemistry Writer of the Year Award from the alchemist which has kick-started careers in scientific journalism.
The winning articles will be published in the alchemist - but that's not all! The winning author will travel to New Orleans on an all expenses paid trip to the ACS Spring National Meeting 2003 and collect $2500 - all thanks to BioSpace, the competition sponsor. Two runners up will each win $1000.
Entries can be submitted from 1 March until 30 November 2002 at:
Gaining Independence: A Manual for Planning the Launch of a Nonprofit Electronic Publishing Venture.
SPARC, 2002.
http://www.arl.org/sparc/GI/
Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos: Eleven Science Questions for the New Century.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10079.html?onpi_listserv042602
From Certainty to Uncertainty: The Story of Science and Ideas in the Twentieth Century.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10248.html?onpi_listserv042602
Learning and Understanding: Improving Advanced Study of Mathematics and Science in U.S. High Schools: Report of the Content Panel for Physics.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10361.html?onpi_listserv042602
Typical Starting Salaries for Physics Bachelors, Classes of 1999 & 2000.
AIP, 2002.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/spring02bssal.pdf
Where do Physics Masters Go?
AIP, 2002.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/spring02masters.pdf
New Foundations For Growth: The U.S. Innovation System Today And Tomorrow.
Authors: Steven W. Popper and Caroline S. Wagner. RAND, 2002.
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1338.0/MR1338.0.pdf
Information Technology Research, Innovation, and E-Government.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10355.html?onpi_listserv051002
(NAS Colloquium) Self-Organized Complexity in the Physical, Biological, and Social Sciences.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10376.html?onpi_listserv051002
Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos: Eleven Science Questions for the New Century.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10079.html?onpi_listserv042602
From Certainty to Uncertainty: The Story of Science and Ideas in the Twentieth Century.
NAP, 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10248.html?onpi_listserv042602
Karlsruhe Virtual Catalog
http://www.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/hylib/en/kvk.html
CSIRO Library Network Catalog
http://voyager.its.csiro.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=dbPage
The University of Karlsruhe brings you the first site, designed to run a simultaneous
search on several important German library catalogs. It will also do a simultaneous
search on a variety of foreign library catalogs, including the Library of Congress,
the British Library, and National Library of France.
The second site is provided by CSIRO. It simultaneously searches a number of Australian library catalogs and will also do some international catalogs, including the Library of Congress and CISTI. When I tested it on start of title “environmental health”, however, it did not bring forth results from these institutions. It seemed to choke on the search.
Boston Globe: Scientists Produce 'Ratbot' -- First Radio-Controlled Animal
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/122/nation/Scientists_produce_ratbot_first_radio_controlled_animal
New Zealand Herald: New York Scientists Unveil Robo-rat
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/worldnews/../storydisplay.cfm?storyID=1843131&thesection=news&thesubsectio
Considerations for the 2002 Farm Bill
http://www.fb-net.org/FB/
Farm Bill Network Information on Use of USDA Conservation Programs
http://www.fb-net.org/
Intro to Jose Delgado
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/implant/
Dr. Jose M. R. Delgado
http://earthops.net/klaatu/delgado.html
Scientist have created the world's first radio-controlled animal by wiring a
computer chip directly into the brain of a living rat. The rats, each wired
with three hair-fine electrical probes to their brains, can be directed by
remote control by an operator typing commands on a computer up to 500 meters
(1,640 feet) away. Developed by Sanjiv Talwar at the State University of New
York and colleagues, this latest discovery in machine-based mind control not
only responds to a user's commands, but also transmits a sense of touch.
“The animal is not only doing something -- it's feeling something,” said
Talwar, who also suggests the rats might be used as scouts for sniffing out
hidden land mines or for search and rescue teams that look for survivors
amid rubble. Unlike clunky machines, Talwar reveals that rats have the
ability to travel adeptly over rough terrain and, therefore, might be more
easily deployed in chaotic environments. Last year, the US Department of
Agriculture adopted regulations that might someday limit such experiments if
they're shown to cause unnecessary harm or stress to laboratory rats and
mice. However, an amendment to the Farm Bill, now pending in Congress, would
repeal these protections. Sen. Jess Helms (R-SC) inserted the amendment in
February that would scuttle any protections for laboratory rodents or birds.
Helms asserted the regulations would only lead to cumbersome paperwork.
“Isn't it far better for the mouse to be fed and watered in a clean
laboratory than to end up as a tiny bulge being digested inside an enormous
snake?”
Mind control research projects is nothing new to the scientific world. In the 1960s, Yale physiologist Jose Delgado proved he could influence the mood and actions of animals through remote control. In one famous demonstration, Delgado stood, unarmed, in front of a charging bull. As the bull bore down on him, Delgado flicked a switch on a small radio transmitter that sent charges to electrodes implanted inside the bull's brain, causing the animal to immediately brake to a halt and meekly walk away. Delgado also experimented with monkeys and cats, and generated horror when he suggested the technology could be used to limit obsessive and criminal behavior in human societies. For recent press releases on the rat robot phenomenon, viewers may access the first two links listed above. The third link gives information on the status of the 2002 Farm Bill, as well as other major bills. The fourth link provides information from the US Department of Agriculture Farm Bill on use of USDA conservation programs. Finally, the last two links provide information on Jose Delgado's research and practices. [MG] (From the Scout Report)
Earthpulse
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/
“The conservation section of the National Geographic site covers a wide
range of environmental issues. Organized under topics that include climate,
energy, oceans, fresh water, ecosystems, wild species, and populations, the
information is well-organized and handsomely presented. Iinteractive explorations
include a one-man submersible journey deep into the kelp forests of Monterey Bay,
accompanied by an appropriate soundtrack. Webcasts, interviews, and impressive
video footage provide a variety of experiences. If your processor power is is up
to it, the site can be a visual and audio treat. However, depending on which
browser is used, there may be some frustration. For example, in the Earthpulse
Expeditions section, trying to access Belize proved a bewildering exercise. For
those who use Netscape, it can be somewhat claustrophobic; once the narration
begins, there is no quick way to exit. The Stop button did not seem to function,
and I had to force quit to get out. This problem could be limited to Mac users
with older operating systems. Do turn off your sound applications, or your mp3s
will play along with the site narrations. Minor glitches do not detract too much
from the overall excellence.” (From New Scientist Current Picks)
Genomics and Its Impact on Medicine and Society - a 2001 Primer
http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/primer2001/index.html
This website from DoE is also available in PDF format. It is a nice review of the
Human Genome Project (focusing on DoE projects), with links to related projects.
It also includes a glossary.
Robber Flies (Asilidae)
http://www.geller-grimm.de/asilidae.htm
This website is brought to you by Fritz Geller-Grimm and Torsten Dikow. It is well
arranged and attractive. The Robber Flies, because of their predatory habit of
feeding on other insects and their voravious appetites, contribute to the
maintenance of the natural balance among insect populations. The site has an
introduction to the asilidae, a bibliographaphic database, addresses, projects,
links, and more.
Functional Programming in the Real World
http://www.research.avayalabs.com/user/wadler/realworld/index.html
Not a glitzy website, just a nice set of links to functional programs (a style of
programming that emphasizes the evaluation of expressions, rather than execution
of commands) in real-world tasks (written primarily to perform some task, not
primarily to experiment with functional programming).
Internet Engineering Standards Repository
http://www.normos.org/
A searchable site with documents related to internet engineering from any
standards organization (ietf, iana, ripe, w3c, . . .).
National Center for Science Education
http://www.ncseweb.org/
NCSE is a “nonprofit, tax-exempt membership organization working to defend
the teaching of evolution against sectarian attack. We are a nationally-recognized
clearinghouse for information and advice to keep evolution in the science classroom
and ‘scientific creationism’ out.”
The site has a roundup of current news stories, an extensive list of policy statements by organizations involved in this issue -- scientific, religious, and educational -- and a rich variety of articles and other publications. (Thanks to Netsurfer Science)
Teaching Math in America
http://americanhistory.si.edu/teachingmath/index.htm
“The National Museum of American History presents an online exhibition
looking at the ‘tools used to teach math across American history, from
the 1800s to the present.’
Resources accompanying the exhibit include links to web sites with
mathematics problems to solve, links to web sites on mathematics
education, links to web sites on the history of American math teaching,
and a bibliography of printed works.” (From Infomine)
Alternative Fuels Data Center
http://www.afdc.nrel.gov/
Student Vehicle Competitions
http://www.ott.doe.gov/student.shtml
“The Alternative Fuels Data Center is a one-stop shop for all your alternative
fuel and vehicle information needs. This site has more than 3,000 documents in its
database, an interactive fuel station mapping system, listings of available alternative
fuel vehicles, links to related Web sites, and much more.” It includes the second
link above, which is a brief, annotated listing of competitions for students from
elementary through university and beyond. (Thanks to Librarian's Index to the
Internet).
Discover Our Earth
http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/
“Information about the earth sciences -- earthquakes,
volcanoes, plate tectonics, topology, and sea level
change -- along with images, graphs, maps, and movies.
Additionally, there are ‘two Java-based, interactive data
analysis and mapping tools that will allow customized access
to a large variety of Earth science data sets that are used by
research scientists.’ There are student and teacher guides.
From the Institute for the Study of the Continents
(INSTOC), Cornell University.” (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Feathered Dinosaurs
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmnh/exhibits/feathered/
“Images and brief information on fossils of ‘Sinosauropteryx, Caudipteryx,
and Protarchaeopteryx, and one early bird, Confuciusornis,’ discovered in
northeastern China, that ‘bear remnants of feathers -- revolutionary new
evidence that birds are descended from dinosaurs.’ Also includes information
on the Liaoning fossil beds. From the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.”
(From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Geology: Plate Tectonics
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/tectonics.html
This site has a description of the mechanisms driving plate tectonics and animated
files demonstrating the positions of the continents during various geologic time
periods. There is also a history of plate tectonics theories, including information
about Alfred Wegener and his theory of continental drift. From the University of
California (Berkeley) Museum of Paleontology. (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)
The Hydrologic Cycle: Online Meteorology Guide
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/hyd/home.rxml
The Hydrologic Cycle: Online Meteorology Guide Web site is maintained by the
Department of Atmospheric Sciences of the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign. The guide describes the various aspects of the hydrologic cycle,
such as the water budget, evaporation, precipitation, runoff, etc. Each page
contains very well done illustrations and animations of these phenomena in
action, making it easy to understand and fun to learn about. [JAB] (From the
Scout Report)
The Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History
http://paleo.amnh.org/fossil/FRC.frontdoor
“A real find for anyone interested in prehistoric life, the American Museum
of Natural History's Division of Paleontology site brings the ancient to
life. Easily accessible, the site presents numerous materials, from images
of the fossil record to artists' representations of the prehistoric world
and its wilder inhabitants, the dinosaurs. For those interested in the
people behind the scenes, as well as in the sites of prehistoric exploration
themselves, the resource presents a wealth of information on paleontologists
at the front line, including slide shows on specific voyages of discovery.
One in particular takes visitors to a rich site in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.
Also not to be missed is the presentation of one of the best preserved
specimens of what just might prove to be a missing link -- a curiously
feathered, earth-bound reptile some 130 million years old. [WH]”
(From the Scout Report)
The Nobel Prize in Physics: Educational
http://www.nobel.se/physics/educational/
“The Nobel Foundations online Nobel e-Museum Web site (last mentioned in the
October 12, 2001 Scout Report) contains some very informative and fun
physics pages. These interactive activities and games include topics on
tools used by physicists, transistors, microscopes, and the exploration of
the interior of matter. These well done pages, although best viewed with a
higher speed modem, contain high quality material presented in a fresh and
exciting way for young adults and lifetime learners. [JAB]” (From the Scout Report)
Mars 2001 Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System
http://themis.asu.edu/
Nearly 30 years ago, NASA's unmanned Voyager probes beamed the
first grainy images of Mars back to Earth. Today, an even bolder
mission takes place quietly and methodically above the red planet.
It's called the Mars 2001 Odyssey, a project using thermal imagery
to create detailed maps for future missions. The Thermal Emission
Imaging System (THEMIS) systematically orbits Mars and captures
never-before-seen peaks and valleys of our lonely neighbor. A new
image taken by a visible light camera will be posted Monday through
Friday, so check back often for a sightseeing trip to Mars.
(From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Art Restoration: A Chemical Perspective
http://www.chemsoc.org/exemplarchem/entries/2001/esharp/default.htm
Emma Sharp's page is brought to you by the Royal Society of Chemistry. It succintly
explains the challenges and techniques for the use of chemistry in the restoration
of works of art, and gives case studies that illustrate the intricacies of this
process. The site is clear, easy to navigate, and lovely. (Thanks to Netsurfer Science)
Molecular Universe
http://www.molecularuniverse.com/
“It's not often that scientists themselves come up with a decent introductory
pitch into their subject than can be caught by lay people and students alike, but
Richard Catlow, the Director of the Davy Faraday Research Laboratory at the Royal
Institution in the UK, has come about as close as you can get. He introduces the
topic of molecular and materials science. There are some wonderful pictures showing
the inner structure of plastics, metals, gemstones, minerals and medicines and
providing just enough background information and explanation on each to keep your
attention. From a chemist's point of view, the detail might be a bit simplistic but
it will be more than enough for most visitors. I liked the short timeline that offers
a whirlwind journey from 1869's Periodic Table to the first enzyme structure
determined in 1965, although why it stops almost forty years ago I don't know.”
(From New Scientist Current Picks)
Fear of physics
http://www.fearofphysics.com/
“Those of us who are physics-challenged will find this upbeat site
to be an engaging way to brush up on the subject. The authors have set out
to dispel the notion that physics is forbiddingly difficult, filled with
equations and incomprehensible stuff. Using video sequences, animations and
stick figure drawings, they clarify concepts in a highly accessible, fun
manner. The Theory of Relativity is illustrated with flybys of famous
structures, such as the Eiffel Tower and the White House, at nearly the speed
of light. Flying through a house at those speeds can be an eye-opening
experience. You can play with the physics of roller coasters by choosing the
kind of track and the height at which to begin the ride, or try the two ride
simulations. Check what happens to a swinging pendulum in a weightless situation.
Sound, the Doppler effect, earthquakes, friction, collisions, atoms, and
basketball shots are among the other topics. If only we had such entertaining
assistance during our school days.” (From New Scientist Current Picks)
Virtual Sky
http://virtualsky.org/index.html
The Virtual Sky Viewer is sponsored by The Center for Advanced Computing
Research at the California Institute of Technology and the Microsoft
Corporation. The Web site allows users to view “stunning, seamless images of
the night sky; not just an album of popular places, but the entire northern
sky at high resolution”. Although reading the help link before attempting to
use the viewer is recommend, the powerful application gives fascinating and
unique views of the sky that most people have never seen. This site is also
reviewed in the May 17, 2002 _Scout Report_.[JAB] (From the Scout Report)
Fluids
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/fluids.htm
Liquids and their Vapors
http://www.sfu.ca/chemcai/pdf/LiqVap.pdf
Floating Log
http://www.explorescience.com/activities/Activity_page.cfm?ActivityID=30
Liquids
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch14/liquidsframe.html
Gallery of Fluid Dynamics
http://www.eng.vt.edu/fluids/msc/gallery/gall.htm
Fundamental Fluid Mechanics Movies
http://www.itsc.com/movies/
Fluid Properties Calculator
http://www.mhtl.uwaterloo.ca/old/onlinetools/airprop/airprop.html
Physics of Fluids
http://pubster.aip.org/journals/doc/PHFLE6-home/top.jsp
“This Topic in Depth explores the Web's offerings on the physics of fluids.
By an educational Web site called School for Champions, the first site is
the Fluids lesson plan (1). Here, students or anyone interested can read
about the basics of fluids and then take a short interactive quiz on the
topic. The second site is maintained by Steve Lower of the Department of
Chemistry at Simon Fraser University called Liquids and their Vapors (2).
This Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file contains an eighteen-page document that
covers topics such as properties of liquids and changes of state. The next
site contains an interactive multimedia activity presented by
explorescience.com called Floating Log (3). The site allows users to explore
how a fluid can affect buoyancy by letting them change the mass of the log
and the fluid's density. The next site from Purdue University's Chemical
Education Web site is called Liquids (4). This page describes the structure
of liquids, what kinds of materials form liquids, vapor pressure, and more.
The fifth site, offered by Professor M.S. Cramer at the College of
Engineering at Virginia Tech, is entitled Gallery of Fluid Dynamics (5). It
contains movies, animations, photographs, and descriptions of various fluid
mechanics topics such as condensation, shock waves, and supersonic cars.
Next comes the Innovative Technology Solutions Corporation's Fundamental
Fluid Mechanics Movies Web site (6). Over thirty short films show how fluids
move in various conditions including gravity waves, fire, material
transport, and hydraulics. From the University of Waterloo's Department of
Mechanical Engineering-Microelectronics Heat Transfer Laboratory comes the
next site, called the Fluid Properties Calculator (7). This online tool
allows users to select a fluid and enter a temperature to calculate various
parameters such as density, viscosity, specific heat, and thermal
diffusivity. The last site is the online journal Physics of Fluids (8),
which is published monthly by the American Institute of Physics with the
cooperation of The American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics. The
journal is ‘devoted to the publication of original theoretical,
computational, and experimental contributions to the dynamics of gases,
liquids, and complex or multiphase fluids’ and provides free full-text
articles for online viewing. [JAB]” (From the Scout Report)
Levitation
http://www-hfml.sci.kun.nl/levitate.html
“I approached this site with a little trepidation. Were they about to
reveal a new ‘natural law’ that would allow me to take to the air,
perhaps? Or, was it simply a scientific look at that story about the boy
wizard? Thankfully, the site is neither. It's a great introduction to the
properties of diamagnets from a physics team at the University of Nijmegen.
Diamagnetic materials ‘exclude’ a magnetic field and as such
provide a repulsive force that can lift objects, such as a frog or a sumo
wrestler standing on a slab of diamagnet, and all with no external power
supply. The site ties in with superconductor research, superconductors
being the archetypal diamagnetic materials, totally excluding a magnetic
field at low temperature. The site's layout is rather old-school and they
could do with bringing some of the material up to date -- a bit of topical
levitation news would not go amiss for instance. Rating 7 out of 10 DB”
(From New Scientist Site of the Day)
The Integrator
http://integrals.wolfram.com/
Enter any function and integrate it automatically. “Mathematica's Integrate
function represents the fruits of a huge amount of mathematical and computational
research. It doesn't do integrals the way people do. Instead, it uses powerful,
general algorithms that often involve very sophisticated math. There are a couple
of approaches that it quite often takes. One involves working out the general form
for an integral, then differentiating this form and solving equations to match up
undetermined symbolic parameters. Even for quite simple integrands, the equations
generated in this way can be highly complex and require Mathematica's strong
algebraic computation capabilities to solve. Another approach that Mathematica uses
in working out integrals is to convert the integrals to generalized hypergeometric
functions, and then to use collections of relations about these highly general
mathematical functions. The internal code that implements the Mathematica integrate
function is about 500 pages of Mathematica code and 600 pages of C code.”
Includes history of integration, FAQ, and more.
Ozone over the Canadian Arctic
http://merlin.bethune.yorku.ca/trek/ozone_experiment/index.html
“Ozone Over the Canadian Arctic
Canada's northern geography makes it one of the most vulnerable countries in the world
when it comes to the effects of ozone depletion in the Arctic region. The YES I Can!
Science team has prepared a curriculum guide to be used with grades 6 and 7 students to
develop a basic understanding of the importance of stratospheric ozone. It is recommended
for use in conjunction with field data gathered this spring by an expedition team skiing
across Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. It may be used as
a ‘real-time’ event this spring, (e.g. as part of Earth Day activities), or as an
archived event at a later point in time.”
Brought to you by York University through its Yes, I Can Science program, this webpage has brief and well done explanations of the ozone problem at the poles, and an introduction to the expedition.
Asian Nation: The Landscape of Asian America
http://www.asian-nation.org/
“Information about culture, religions, history, demographics,
immigration, assimilation, and issues in the diverse Asian
American community. The author, a Vietnamese American
sociologist, also provides discussion boards, many links,
and a section with history and photographs of Viet Nam.
Searchable.” (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Aerial Archaeology by Jacques Dassie
http://archaero.com/archeo31.html
Aerial Archive of the Institute for Prehistory and Early History of the University in Vienna
http://www.univie.ac.at/Luftbildarchiv/index.htm#TOC#TOC
Aerial archaeology Site by Francesca Radcliffe: Dorset
http://www.wdi.co.uk/air/welcome.htm
Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East
http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/Classics/archeology/rsame.html
AARG: Aerial Archaeology Research Group
http://rs6000.univie.ac.at/AARG/
Guide to Good Practice
http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/project/goodguides/apandrs/
Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeology
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mjff/homepage.htm
Aerial Archaeology: Czech Republic
http://www.arup.cas.cz/airarch_e/Airarch_.htm
Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. That which is around us in
archaeological sites can be enriched by standing back and viewing with a
different perspective, and that is what aerial archaeology is all about. It
is also one of the many means of non-destructive archaeology. Most of these
sites use aerial photography from planes, but a further, deeper perspective
is gained by the use of satellite imaging. In addition there are links to
even more sites on this fascinating topic. (Thanks to Netsurfer Science).
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.)
RESEARCHERS AT WASHINGTON SHOOT FOR LIGHT SPEED TRANSMISSION
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/17597.html
A research center at the University of Washington has been named one of
six finalists for an award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The Center for Materials and Devices for Information Technology
Research, headed by UW chemistry professor Larry Dalton, has been
working on opto-chips for several years. These devices could bring data
transmission up to the speed of light. Opto-chips convert electronic
signals into light, require as little as one volt of energy, and offer
up to a terahertz of bandwidth. According to Dalton, opto-chips have
application in industries including defense, telecommunications, and
all forms of computing. Dalton said the NSF award could mean as much as
$100 million over ten years for the university.
NewsFactor Network, 6 May 2002 via Edupage
GRAPHICS DEVELOPED TO ADD TO REAL LIFE
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/17735.html
Researchers at Columbia University are developing graphics technology
applications that work in conjunction with the real world rather than
replacing it. The technology involves a display worn on the head and a
computer in a backpack. Users can see through the head piece, while the
computer adds information that can augment the user's perception and
understanding of his surroundings. For example, a construction worker
might wear the device working at a construction site to “see” locations
of pipes and wiring that are behind walls or underground. Funding for
the research comes in part from the Office of Naval Research and the
National Science Foundation.
NewsFactor Network, 14 May 2002 via Edupage
HIGHER EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT TEAM UP ON TECHNOLOGY
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/05/2002051401t.htm
A new administrative information system in North Dakota will be shared
by the state's public institutions of higher education and the state
government. The system will replace aging systems that have become
expensive and time-consuming to maintain and keep compliant with
changing regulations. Government and higher education will use the
system to manage financial, human resource, and student information.
Officials said they already are close to having uniform “charts of
accounts,” the records of information and associated codes, which is
necessary for the system to work for all participants. The South Dakota
Board of Regents, which is beginning its own migration to a central
database for the campuses in its system, is closely watching the North
Dakota project as an example for some aspects of its project.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 14 May 2002 via Edupage
ACADEMIC LIBRARIES GET NEW PORTAL
http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb020513-2.htm
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has begun a new portal
initiative, working with seven of its major member libraries on the
initial release. The goal of the effort, called the Scholars Portal
Project, is to develop and distribute software that allows users to
leverage electronic library services through portal software. Initially
the tools are expected to serve primarily as a library channel for
existing university-wide portals. The ARL tool allows users to search
across digital resources from multiple institutions and receive
aggregated results, much like Google. Developers plan to add features
including 24 x 7 online access to reference librarians and integration
with e-learning and course environments.
Information Today, 13 May 2002 via Edupage
JOURNAL BOYCOTT FALLS SHORT OF GOAL
http://chronicle.com/free/2002/05/2002051601t.htm
Despite having the signatures of more than 30,000 academics, a group
pushing for more access to academic content has so far had little
impact on the publishing of journals. The Public Library of Science in
April 2001 called for academics to boycott jourals that do not put
their content online after six months without a fee to access it. But
according to directors of the project, few of the signatories have
stopped sumbitting to those journals, subscribing to them, or acting as
editors. The group now plans to begin publishing its own set of
scholarly journals, allowing academics to continue publishing but
ensuring that content will be available online within six months.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 16 May 2002 via Edupage
NEW TRANSISTORS FASTER THAN SILICON
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-917346.html
Researchers at IBM have created carbon nanotubes that can carry more
electrical current at a faster rate than silicon, the material current
computer chips are based on. This development could usher in a new
generation of computing. Current methods for making chips have led to
such dense circuits that the process could, according to some, become
economically unviable in 15 or 20 years. Theoretically, at least,
transistors made from carbon nanotubes could replace chips on the
market today with ones that require much less energy or that offer much
greater performance for the same amount of energy. Because carbon
nanotubes are very long and thin compared to traditional circuitry,
electrons in nanotubes cannot be deflected sideways and can only be
reversed with a great amount of energy. The technology is very much in
its infancy though. Creating the nanotubes is slow and difficult, and
research has shown an energy “barrier” at the ends of the tubes,
further complicating their use as transistors.
CNET, 19 May 2002 via Edupage
NEW RESEARCH BENEFITS SPINTRONICS
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/17825.html
Researchers at the University of Buffalo have created new
semiconducting alloys that could allow spintronic devices to function
at room temperature. Spintronics uses the spin and the charge of
electrons to process information, allowing for millions of simultaneous
bits of data. The new material potentially makes possible devices that
can read and process data using infinite combinations of spin states.
The research also opens the door for a kind of computer chip capable of
processing and storing data on the same material.
NewsFactor Network, 20 May 2002 via Edupage
SECURITY TAGS HELP LIBRARIANS
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52493,00.html
Some libraries have started using radio frequency identification (RFID)
tags in their books to streamline check-in, check-out, and inventory
tracking, as well as helping to minimize theft. RFID tags contain
information about the book, like bar code tags that have become common
in libraries. Unlike bar code tags, though, RFID tags can be read
without being visually scanned. With RFID tags, librarians can check
books in or out without ever opening them or looking for the bar code.
Inventory can be taken simply by walking through the stacks and passing
a wireless reader wand over the books. Rockefeller University Library
uses the tags, which set off alarms and activate video cameras when the
system detects a non-checked-out book passing out of a library exit. At
50 cents or more, however, RFID tags are significantly more expensive
than bar code tags, which cost about 2 cents.
Wired News, 20 May 2002 via Edupage
WASHINGTON POST CONSOLIDATES TECH COVERAGE
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1021653697982741080,00.html
The Washington Post has announced that it will consolidate the content
of WashTech.com and Newsbytes.com under the Web site TechNews.com,
resulting in the layoff of several employees of Newsbytes. The move is
the latest in a series of steps reducing technology coverage among
major news outlets, including Knight-Ridder and Dow Jones. A spokesman
for Washington Post said the merger was a “natural evolution” of the
different editorial structures currently in place. TechNews will cover
national technology news and trends, including legislation, and will
still offer a regional technology section specific to the Washington,
D.C., area.
Wall Street Journal, 17 May 2002 (sub. req'd) via Edupage
The Space Ark
http://sfstation.members.easyspace.com/rcoll.htm
George Pal
http://www.awn.com/heaven_and_hell/PAL/GP12.htm
The Legacy of George Pal
http://www.scifistation.com/george_pal/legacyof.html
The first website is a drawing and photo of the Space Ark rocket featured in the movie.
The second site is a brief biography, with photos, of George Pal. The third site is a
discussion of the legacy of George Pal on film-making.
All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2002. 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.
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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.