8/19/05
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This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
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Science Conferences
http://www.osti.gov/scienceconferences/advanced.html
The OSTI Science Conferences portal was devised to expedite access
to conference papers and proceedings in various fields of science and technology.
Emphasis is on U.S. conferences hosted and/or published by scientific and professional
organizations whose areas of focus relate substantially to the Department of
Energy’s mission. This portal provides the capability to search for conference
information on multiple web sites and databases with a single query utilizing a
combination of surface web and deep web tools (specifically Distributed Explorit from
Deep Web Technologies) that can reach where ordinary search engines cannot. Features
include:
Sources indexed include:
OSTI does it again!
STEM Education Takes Cuts
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_07_05_legupdate.htm
The Senate Appropriations Committee cut funding for K-12 Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF),
while a House panel establishes a National Science Board commission to improve
science education. (From NSTA)
US Competitiveness — the Innovation Challenge (pdf)
http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/reports/InnovationHearing0705.pdf
House Science Hearing: Innovation Must Be Priority or U.S. Will Cede Its Position as Global Leader.
Witnesses testifying at a House Science Committee hearing — US Competitiveness:
The Innovation Challenge — last week warned that the changing dynamics of the
global economy are threatening America’s economic position and innovation is
crucial to the nation’s future economic growth. IEEE-USA staffer Vin
O’Neill created a summary of the hearing and the recommendations of each witness.
(From IEEE Eye on Congress)
White House Announces FY 07 R&D Budget Priorities
http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/eyeonwashington/2005/05eow15.asp#whitehouse
“We’re barely halfway to finishing a budget for FY 2006 and already the
White House is laying out priorities for FY 2007, the budget that the President will
present to Congress in just 7 months. On 8 July, Office of Science and Technology
Policy Director John Marburger and Office of Management and Budget Director Joshua
Bolten laid out the Administration’s research and development priorities for
FY 2007. The guidance states that interagency R&D priorities should receive
attention in agencies’ budget requests. Among the highest priority inter-agency
R&D initiatives are homeland security, high-end computing and net-working,
National Nanotechnology Initiative, priorities in the physical sciences,
understanding complex biological systems, and energy and the environment.”
(From IEEE Eye on Washington)
DoD Proposes Changes in Restrictions on Foreign Researchers
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-13305.htm
The U.S. Department of Defense recently proposed new restrictions on foreign
researchers’ access to sensitive technology and related information. These
changes would apply only to research activities carried out under government
contracts. The proposal includes such things as unique badging requirements for
foreign nationals and foreign persons, segregated work areas for export-controlled
information and technology, and initial and periodic training on export compliance
controls for those employees with access to export-controlled information and
technology. The department is accepting public comments on the proposal until
September 12, 2005. (From ACM Washington Update)
15 Leading Business Groups Launch Action Plan To Improve Science and Math Education (pdf)
http://www.businessroundtable.org/pdf/20050727002TAPStatement.pdf
Call for Doubling of STEM Graduates in 10 Years
“15 major business groups representing business of every size and from every sector of the economy—led by the CEO members of the Business Roundtable—last week called for doubling the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates by the year 2015 and issued an action plan to do this by:
In a press statement Business Roundtable President John Castellani says the business community would ‘take the lead in building public awareness and support for greater interest, investment, and performance in science, technology, engineering, and math by:
From NSTA.
House Committee Okays Science/Math Initiative as Part of Higher Education Act
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_07_25_legupdate.htm
The House Education and Workforce Committee passed an amendment to the Higher
Education Act (HEA) that will create a new scholarship program for STEM
graduates, provide loan forgiveness to science and math teachers, and supply
grants to create state-based councils, which will focus on K-12 science and
math education. (From NSTA)
The roles of codes of conduct in preventing the misuse of scientific research
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/document.asp?tip=0&id=3215
A new paper outlines the Royal Society’s position on the roles of codes
of conduct in preventing the misuse of scientific research, building on the
Society’s previous publications on the subject. This paper also discusses
methods that complement codes of conduct in preventing the misuse of science,
including training and the extension of existing regulations. The key points
made in this paper are as follows.
Energy Bill into Law
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/stc/index.shtml#Energy
The Nation has 1,725 pages of a new energy policy, although it does not include many
Senate provisions on greenhouse gas reductions or renewable mandates. It was signed
into law on August 8 after passing both houses by a wide margin.
(From AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Congress)
Part 1
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/stc/index.shtml#climate1
Part 2
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/stc/index.shtml#climate2
Two hearings were held in the Senate that featured scientists testifying that climate
change is occurring. The inaugural hearing of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Subcommittee on Global Climate Change and Impacts took place on July
20. The Senate Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing promised during the debate
on greenhouse gas provisions in the Energy Bill on July 21. Both were notable for the
shift in focus from if climate change is occurring to how to mitigate it.
(From AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Congress)
Letters Requesting Information Regarding Global Warming Studies
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Letters/06232005_1570.htm
American Association for the Advancement of Science (pdf)
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/docs/05-7-13_climatebarton.pdf
Union of Concerned Scientists
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/global_warming/page.cfm?pageID=1816
Science Friday
http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2005/Jul/hour1_072205.html
National Academy of Sciences (pdf)
http://www.geo.umass.edu/climate/cicerone-letter.pdf
Article in The Scientist
http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20050722/01
AIP
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2005/112.html
BBC Commentary
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4693855.stm
Talk of the Nation
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4766641
ES&T
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2005/jul/policy/pt_congress.html
Last month, Representative Joe Barton of Texas, Chair of the House Committee on Energy
and Commerce, sent a letter to several climate scientists demanding copies of raw data
used in their studies. Here are the text of the letters along with articles and
statements on the controversy spurred by these letters.
100 Years of Physics — Webcast August 5, 11, 19 2:00 pm PDT
http://www.exploratorium.edu/nobel/webcasts.html
In this three-part series, senior scientist Paul Dougherty celebrates great
advancements in science. Each show will investigate one of Einstein’s
great discoveries. (20 min.) Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize based
on three papers that shook the world of physics and spawned a completely new
understanding of how the world works. In each of these Webcasts, Exploratorium
Staff Scientist Paul Doherty will explain Einstein’s key discoveries and
their impacts on our views of science, reality, and the universe.
Webcast links will be active on the day of the program and for archived programs after webcast date.
Assessing Interactions Among Social, Behavioral, and Genetic Factors in Health
http://www.iom.edu/event.asp?id=28966
Thursday, September 29
The National Academies’ Keck Center
500 Fifth St., N.W.,
Washington, D.C.
The Nobel Prize Lectures — The Exploratorium
http://www.exploratorium.edu/nobel/publicprograms.html
You may not have been able to attend the Exploratorium’s lectures on the
Nobel Prize, but you can listen to some of them at this website.
Migratory Narratives: Why Some Stories Replicate Across Media, Cultures, Historical Eras
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/281/
“By still having myths, explaining ourselves in terms of myths we make about
ourselves, we have far more in common with so-called primitive ancestors separated
by time and space, but we all use media at hand to tell theses enduring migratory
narratives.” — Richard Howells
True stories and their fictional spin-offs—especially bloody ones—occupy an enduring spot in western culture. Thomas Pettitt’s specialty, the “murdered sweetheart” tale, emerged from medieval times to seize hold of the public imagination in England and Scandinavia over several centuries. The story, involving a seduced girl, her murder by a lover, and the lover’s death, stems from some long-lost actual case. Publishers cranked out ballads based on this story, with helpfully lurid woodcut illustrations. In this “highly successful genre,” says Pettitt, “marketing strategies” distilled the “shocking and juicy story” down to the bare bones. “I sometimes wonder if the weapon of choice was a knife because it rhymes conveniently with wife,” muses Pettitt.
The sinking of the Titanic sparked a media frenzy all too familiar these days: reporters rowed out to meet survivors, so they could wire their newspapers first. Richard Howells takes stock of this tragedy and its media manipulation over time. First the Edwardians “celebrated the heroism, triumph, Anglo-Saxon pluck and courage” of the voyagers, with newsreels (including one a month after the tragedy), postcards, sheet music and records. Later, fiction films exploited the story as a fable about the emerging middle class. In our own times, with the epic James Cameron film and assorted merchandise including Titanic software, and beer, Howells sees the Titanic as an “allegory for decline, disaster, decadence and doom … and finally as kitsch-entertainment.” As a modern myth, the Titanic has become “a multimedia narrative.”
Janet Staiger finds lots of reasons for storytelling, from the anthropological to the psychoanalytical. But she emphasizes “economic explanations: the standardization of stories for a capitalist purpose.” We know that a murdered sweetheart ballad “will be a seller,” so it can be premarketed and mass-produced. Some stories get yoked to particular characters, and others can wander more freely across formulas. Staiger compares Barbie and Cinderella, stuck in their plot lines, to Batman, who can show up in detective, adventure, parody or melodrama form. The “ability to sell figures separate from a formula enhances their capacity for capitalization,” says Staiger.
History of the Scopes Trial and the Controversy over the Teaching of Evolution in the Schools
http://www.aaas.org/spp/wspa/
Wednesday, July 20, 2005,
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM,
AAAS Auditorium,
1200 New York Avenue, NW Washington DC
Eighty years ago this month, John Thomas Scopes went on trial in Dayton, Tennessee, for violating a state law prohibiting the teaching of the theory of evolution. William Jennings Bryan, three-time Democratic candidate for president, served on the prosecution team; Clarence Seward Darrow led Scopes’s defense. Scopes was convicted. A year later, the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed Scopes’s conviction on a technicality but upheld the statute. The controversy over teaching evolution continues to the present day.
The Daily Planet: A journalist’s search for sustainability
The seventh annual Robert C. Barnard Environmental Lecture will take place on Tuesday,
September 13 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Andrew Revkin, Environment Reporter from
The New York Times will give a talk entitled “The Daily Planet: A journalist’s
search for sustainability, from the Amazon to the Arctic” at the AAAS headquarters
in Washington D.C., followed by a book signing and reception. R.S.V.P. by Friday, 9
September 202-326-6700 or via e-mail: cgoodyear@aaas.org
Assessment of US Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Roles and Future Needs
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/webcr.nsf/(MeetByDocID)/8EA41534A0807ECD8525705900634FDB?OpenDocum
Assessment of U.S.C.G. Polar Icebreaker Roles and Future Needs
August 25, 2005 – August 26, 2005,
National Academy of Sciences Building,
2100 C St. NW,
Washington, DC
NAS Fall Exchibition Schedule
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/arts/exhibitions_schedule.html
The Altered Landscape, Riverbirds and Rainforests, Cycloids and Utopia.
ANSI/NISO Z39.18 — 2005 Scientific and Technical Reports — Preparation, Presentation and Preservation.
http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/Z39-18-2005.pdf?CFID=4592368&CFTOKEN=36375782
The Triple Helix: the Capitalization of Knowledge: Cognitive, Economic, Social and Cultural Aspets, (5th International Triple Helix Conference), proceedings.
2005.
http://www.triplehelix5.com/programme.htm
Freeman, Richard.
Does Globalization of the Scientific/Engineering Workforce Threaten U.S. Economic Leadership?
NBER, 2005.
http://papers.nber.org/papers/w11457
Keeping American Competitive: Five Steps to Improve Mathematics and Science Education.
Education Commission of the States, 2005.
http://ecs.org/clearinghouse/62/19/6219.pdf
National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.
CDC, 2005.
http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/
Science, Engineering and Technology and the UK’s Ethnic Minority Population.
Royal Society, 2005.
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/downloaddoc.asp?id=1870
Body Burden: Pollution in Newborns.
Environmental Working Group, 2005.
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php
Computational science: ensuring America’s competitiveness.
PITAC, 2005.
http://www.nitrd.gov/pitac/reports/20050609_computational/computational.pdf
Great Lakes Regional Collaboration draft report.
2005.
http://www.glrc.us/
Building a Better Delivery System: A New Engineering/Health Care Partnership.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11378.html
Wind energy development programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS).
BLM, 2005.
http://windeis.anl.gov/index.cfm
Frameworks for Higher Education in Homeland Security.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11141.html
The Navy’s Needs in Space for Providing Future Capabilities.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11299.html
Partnering Against Terrorism: Summary of a Workshop.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11300.html
Preventing the Forward Contamination of Mars.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11381.html
Protection, Control, and Accounting of Nuclear Materials: International Challenges and National Programs — Workshop Summary.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11343.html
Safe Medical Devices for Children.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11313.html
Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11370.html
Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11366.html
Animal Health at the Crossroads: Preventing, Detecting, and Diagnosing Animal Diseases.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11365.html
Superfund and Mining Megasites: Lessons from the Coeur d’Alene River Basin.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11359.html
Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2004.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11242.html
Advancing the Nation’s Health Needs: NIH Research Training Programs.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11275.html
Microbial Threats to Health: The Threat of Pandemic Influenza.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11371.html
ANSI/NISO Z39.29 — 2005 Bibliographic References.
http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/Z39-29-2005.pdf?CFID=4592368&CFTOKEN=36375782
America’s Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11311.html
Autonomous Vehicles in Support of Naval Operations.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11379.html
Engineering Research and America’s Future: Meeting the Challenges of a Global Economy (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11393.html
Globalization of Materials R&D: Time for a National Strategy (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11395.html
Going to Extremes: Meeting the Emerging Demand for Durable Polymer Matrix Composites (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11424.html
Innovating for Profit in Russia: Developments in the Urals Region — Summary of a Workshop (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11418.html
Opportunities in High Magnetic Field Science.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11211.html
Review of Goals and Plans for NASA’s Space and Earth Sciences (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11416.html
Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership: First Report (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11406.html
(Sackler NAS Colloquium) Scientific Examination of Art: Modern Techniques in Conservation and Analysis.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11413.html
Spinal Cord Injury: Progress, Promise, and Priorities.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11253.html
Strengthening Long-Term Nuclear Security: Protecting Weapon-Usable Material in Russia (prepublication).
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11377.html
Tank Wastes Planned for On-Site Disposal at Three Department of Energy Sites: The Savannah River Site — Interim Report.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11415.html
Technological Options for User-Authorized Handguns: A Technology-Readiness Assessment.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11394.html
Assessment of the Representative Payee Program of the Social Security Administration: Letter Report.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11417.html
Enrollments and Degrees Report.
AIP, 2005.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/catalog.html
Biological Science and Biotechnology in Russia: Controlling Diseases and Enhancing Security.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11382.html
Engineering Research and America’s Future: Meeting the Challenges of a Global Economy.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11393.html
Mineral Tolerance of Animals: Second Revised Edition.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11309.html
Bridges to Independence: Fostering the Independence of New Investigators in Biomedical Research.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11249.html
Thirteenth Interim Report of the Subcommittee on Acute Exposure Guideline Levels.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11396.html
Science and Technology: A Foundation for Homeland Security.
OSTP, 2005.
http://www.ostp.gov/html/OSTPHomeland.pdf
Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System.
OSTP, 2005.
http://www.ostp.gov/html/EOCStrategic_Plan.pdf
Reopening Public Facilities After a Biological Attack: A Decision-Making Framework.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11324.html
Assessment of NIH Minority Research Training Programs: Phase 3.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11329.html
Review and Assessment Program Options for Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants at Blue Grass: Letter Report.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11329.html
Review of Testing and Evaluation Methodology for Biological Point Detectors: Abbreviated Summary.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11287.html
PLoS Genetics
http://www.plosgenetics.org/
Announcing the debut of a new open-access journal from the Public Library of Science
— PLoS Genetics. The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is pleased to announce
the July 25 launch of PLoS Genetics, a new open-access, peer-reviewed journal. The
journal is led by the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Wayne N. Frankel, a Senior Staff
Scientist at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Genetics and genomics research has grown at a bewildering pace in the past 15 years. PLoS Genetics reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the field, and the research featured in the inaugural issue ranges from nematodes to humans and from cancer to evolution. Each research article is accompanied by a summary that places the findings in a broader context.
“The vision we have for PLoS Genetics as a community resource is first and foremost to support the dissemination of our science in a way that draws attention to the quality, depth, and scope of our best work. That this is an open-access journal is an integral part of this vision,” the editorial team says. Open access-free availability and unrestricted use-to all articles published in the journal is central to the mission of PLoS Genetics and the Public Library of Science.
Two research articles from the inaugural issue are highlighted here. The first describes the molecular reason why cats are indifferent to sugar, and the second reports the discovery of 23 new longevity genes. We also invite you to explore the full complement of research, commentaries, and interviews that PLoS Genetics offers. Open access ensures that everything published is immediately freely available to anyone, anywhere in the world.
New and Changed Free Journal Archives at Highwire
Additional journals working with Stanford University’s HighWire Press have
begun to participate in the “Free Back Issues” program; and some
publications have changed their Free Back Issue policies.
The Free Back Issues program now has about 233 journals participating (31 of these are entirely free), making nearly 940,000 full-text articles free to the community; over two-thirds of all online full-text articles produced by publishers working with HighWire Press are now free (88,000 more articles have been made free since my mid-April 2005 report; if you need a copy of that or other previous announcements, please let Lisa Krauss, copied on this email, know). These publishers comprise the largest archive of free full-text research articles we know of.
125 Questions: What Don’t We Know?
http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/125th/
What if a bunch of scientists got together and wrote a list of the most compelling
scientific puzzles that can’t currently be solved, but have a good chance of
being figured out in the next 25 years? Enter the editors of Science Magazine. To
celebrate the magazine’s 125th birthday, they present 125 questions
representing a current survey of “scientific ignorance.” The top 25
questions each feature a short essay with an opportunity for readers to reply.
Questions include: “What is the biological basis of consciousness?”;
“What are the limits of conventional computing?”; “Is an effective
HIV vaccine feasible?”; and “Why do humans have so few genes?” For
science fans, these questions should stimulate some serious thinking. For scientists,
the questions may inspire them to roll up their sleeves and get to work!
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
The Art of Science Competition
http://www.princeton.edu/~artofsci/gallery/
The speculative nature of art meets the objective field of science in this Princeton
University exhibition of unintentional artwork. The online gallery displays 55 images
created during scientific research or using scientific tools and concepts. In the
contest, an evocative dust cloud of silicon micro-spheres took first prize, with a
visual essay on surface tension and some painted ants coming in at second and third
place. Other highlights include Warhol-esque planktic foraminifera and computer
innards that look like a miniature housing development. A plasma reactive ion etching
bears a striking resemblance to Mardi Gras beads, while a dissonance reduction
algorithm turns the Slayer song “Blood Red” into visual art. Who says
scientists are a dull, nerdy bunch? Some of them obviously have an eye for color.
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
New PubMed Training Materials
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja05/ja05_technote.html#train
PubMed is one of my favorite databases. It is frustrating for novices to search because
it is such a large database, and because its search engine is very different from most
standard search engines, but if you take the time to really get to know how it works,
it is, in fact,an extremely elegant search engine and an amazingly broad and deep
database. Don’t be misled into thinking this database is for medicine only.
PubMed indexes articles from across the range of sciences. If you take the time to
learn how to really use this database it will be well worth it.
Don’t forget the handy “Single Citation Finder” that allows you to get a complete citation from the barest of the information.
Now you can also identify cited articles in PubMed archives. “The full text of articles archived in PubMed Central (PMC) includes the references cited by the articles. You can now also see a list of those references in PubMed, using the option Cited Articles, on the Links menu.”
NSF Special Reports
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/index.jsp
The National Science Foundation presents web-based reports on language & linguistics,
Einstein & physics, weather patterns, the chemistry of water, the 2004 tsunami, arctic
climate research, Admiral Byrd’s historic flight to the South Pole (1929),
cyberinfrastructure, fossils, earthquake engineering simulation, ecology of infectious
diseases, robotics, visualization of research results & scientific phenomena, the
world’s first electronic nervous system, teacher institutes, & Nobel prize
winners. The site provides videos, images, and additional resources for each topic.
(NSF)
NOVA Science Now
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/
A companion to the PBS show, this website presents information on the topics covered
in show episodes. Each topic has the usual high quality, well presented information
you expect from NOVA, along with links to further information.
NOVA: “Deep Sea Invasion”
http://www.pbs.org/nova/algae/
French marine biologist Alexandre Meinesz was diving in the Mediterranean when he
spotted a strange blanket of bright green plants on the seabed. Meinesz was alarmed
to find that the plants were toxic algae that were decimating marine life in the
Mediterranean, but his findings were ignored for years by the scientific
establishment. Nicknamed “killer algae,” these organisms have since taken
over thousands of acres of seabed, and no one knows how to stop them. Recently they
appeared for the first time off the coast of California, and now U.S. officials are
struggling to contain their spread along the coast of California.
Here’s what you’ll find on the companion Web site:
Understanding Genetics
http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/ugenetics/
While most people may retain a smattering of information and basic concepts about
the field of genetics, some may also wish to refresh their knowledge base, and the
Understanding Genetics website is a fine way to get back up to speed. Created and
maintained by the good people at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, the
homepage is well thought out, and provides a nice entry point to many of the
features available here. Visitors can peruse the questions posed to geneticists in
the “Ask a Geneticist” feature, browse a selection of recent news
stories regarding genetics, and take a survey on the ethical questions posed by the
issues of stem cell research and genetically modified foods. The feature story is a
fine resource as well, as it provides basic, non-jargon-laden answers to such
question as “What is a gene?” and “How do genes work?”. The
site also contains a number of activities that can be done at home, including a fun
exercise that teaches users how to extract DNA from strawberries. [KMG]
(From the Scout Report)
Chickscope
http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/explore/
The wonders of the web combined with the wonders of…the egg? Chickscope, a
Digital Dozen pick for July, uses the web to bring students (K-12) into the lab,
examining embryos virtually and using animations of eggs to learn about such math
topics as symmetry and plane curves. Students get access not only to unique resources
but also to scientific expertise through the different areas of this site. From ENC)
Conservation Central
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Education/ConservationCentral/
“Conservation Central is a habitat education program … [which] explores
the temperate forest, home of the giant panda and black bear’ through online
activities. Activities include designing a panda habitat, conserving a forest habitat,
and exploring a virtual forest. Also includes teaching materials, learning activities,
panda photos, and links to related information. From the Smithsonian National
Zoological Park. (From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
The Scopes Monkey Trial 80 Years Later
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_07_18_highlights.htm
July 10 marked the 80th anniversary of the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial in which John
Scopes, a high school science teacher from Dayton, Tennessee, was convicted for teaching
evolution, which was a violation of state law. Tennessee’s law at the time forbade
teachers to teach “any theory that denies the story of the divine creation of man
as taught in the Bible.” Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan prosecuted
Scopes, who was defended by lawyer Clarence Darrow. According to news reports, the jury
found Scopes guilty after only nine minutes of deliberation. He was fined $100. The trial
was the inspiration for the Broadway play and film, Inherit the Wind, as
well as numerous books.
The media reported heavily on the anniversary of the trial and the ensuing challenges to the teaching of evolution. NSTA provides this website with links to the news coverage.
Charles Darwin in His Own Words
http://www.thesecondevolution.com/darwin_intro.html
This is a visually splendid website with snatches of text from Darwin’s
autobiography, and replete with lovely pictures of Darwin and Darwinia. Darwin himself,
his family, his house and gardens, friends, colleagues, books, illustrations. These
images are photographs, water colors, line drawings, and more.
HHMI Virtual Museum
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/museum/
The medical and scientific marvels on display at BioInteractive Virtual Museum,
created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, invite wonder, exploration, and
hands-on interaction. Topics include obesity, biological clocks, DNA, and
immunology, just to name a few, and are presented with online laboratories,
animations, museum presentations, and video clips. (From ENC)
Wood’s Hole Harmful Algae Page
http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/
New England suffered from red tide this summer. This webpage tells you all about the
various algae that cause this and other problems. It includes a photo gallery,
information on the algae species, adverse effects, and more.
Bike Science
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/index.html
Lance Armstrong’s unprecedented seventh Tour de France victory has focused
world interest on bicycling. Investigate the technology of two-wheelers at the
Exploratorium’s “The Science of Cycling”, where you’ll
explore engineering, aerodynamics, the workings of your muscles, and more.
The Voyage of Discovery Continues: A Satellite View of the Journey of Lewis and Clark
http://edc.usgs.gov/LewisandClark/
Not a fancy website, but really quite nicely done by the USGS.
What’s Up With the Weather?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/
This site examines “the science and politics of one of the most controversial
issues of the 21st century: the truth about global warming.” Topics include
fossil fuel consumption, the role ice cores play in the global environment, and
predictions for “what would happen to the world’s coastlines if the
West Antarctic Ice Sheet melted.” Includes a teacher’s guide and a FAQ.
A production of Nova and Frontline, programs produced by the Public Broadcasting
Service (PBS). (From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
Africa to Atlantic: Dust to Dust
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/feature/2004/0116dust.html
Heavily linked “article about sand and dust storms in which ‘the
planet’s deserts kick up literally millions of tons of dust, and winds send
it flying to far-flung destinations where it clogs our lungs, changes soil
chemistry, deposits minerals in bodies of water,’ and cause other
environmental damage. Includes a link to images of recent storms, such as the
storm in Iraq in August 2005, and links to related sites. From the NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center.” (From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
NOVA — Mars, Dead or Alive?
http://www.pbs.org/nova/mars/
This NOVA goes behind the scenes to document the tension-filled process of building,
testing, final checking out, and launching of a pair of NASA rovers designed to be
robotic geologists on Mars. Engineers face a tight deadline as Mars approaches its
closest rendezvous with Earth. They’re stretched to the limit as parachutes
rip, bolts fail, and airbags deflate. Watch them apply all their ingenuity to
overcome the technical hitches, and witness the excitement at NASA as the first rover
finally touches down on the red planet.
Here’s what you’ll find on the companion Web site:
Pickle Lab — The Chemistry of Pickles
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/pickles/index.html
Pickling is the ancient culinary craft of preserving foods in salt brine or vinegar.
Over millennia, cultures across the globe have tinkered with pickling recipes to make
dishes spanning the gamut of tastes. Kids can explore the chemistry of pickles at this
fun site from the Exploratorium.
The Launch of Google Moon
http://moon.google.com/
“It was 36 years ago today when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon
while Michael Collins circled overhead. I remember it like it was just yesterday. This
five year old was glued to his television in suburban Chicago watching history. To
celebrate the historic event Google has not only put up a special logo on all of their
home pages but they’re also releasing Google Moon.
That’s right space fans, you’re now able to use the same technology that you’ll find at Google Maps and Google Earth to wander around the Moon. In many cases you’re unable to zoom-in very close. This is due to NASA providing Google with a limited data set.” (From SearchEngineWatch)
Three Lectures by Hans Bethe
http://bethe.cornell.edu/
In 1999, legendary theoretical physicist Hans Bethe delivered three lectures on
quantum theory to his neighbors at the Kendal of Ithaca retirement community
(near Cornell University). Given by Professor Bethe at age 93, the lectures are
presented here as QuickTime videos synchronized with slides of his talking points
and archival material.
BBC — Space — Life?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/life/
This BBC website presents information on:
as well as an “alien invaders” video game, as well as links to other related games, quizzes, and information sources. All are presented in a visually compelling format.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/
“Information about NASA’s summer 2005 mission to Mars that ‘will
examine the red planet in unprecedented detail from low orbit’ and ‘will
examine Martian features ranging from the top of the atmosphere to underground
layering.’ The mission’s launch opportunity begins August 10, 2005.
Includes news, fact sheets, and images, which will expand as the mission progresses.
From the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology.”
(From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
The Learning Wave
http://www.learningwave.com/lwonline/workingfront/frontwave.html
Students in grades 3–9 can interact with their math at LearningWave Online:
Interactive Mathematics. Here they’ll find concept pages that explain math
content—in categories such as number theory, fractions, algebra, and
probability—and application problems that reinforce the learning. These
applications can take the form of games and puzzles; for instance, one game
challenges players to land the job of host or hostess at El Miro in Radiant City
Prime, where they have to be fluent with fractions to succeed. (From ENC)
BBC Space Gallery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/myspace/yourgallery/index.shtml
Astoundingly beautiful images from amateur photographers around the world.
10th Planet
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/newplanet-072905.html
Cycles: African Life Through Art
http://www.ima-art.org/cycles/
African art is meant to be used—for dancing, wearing, holding, or healing.
This colorful Flash exhibition from the Indianapolis Museum of Art explores the
life and culture of Africa through its art. Graphics, music, text, sounds, and film
clips skillfully weave together to create a cyclical experience that highlights the
themes of ancestors, youth, leadership, and adulthood. The cultural context of each
piece is key, and the site carefully explains the important elements of each.
Discover what an Akuaba is and how it is used by the Asante women in Ghana, or learn
about the role a babalawo plays in Yuruba tradition. All 19 featured art objects may
be examined in detail: Rotate them or zoom in for a closer view.
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
Traditions of the Sun
http://www.traditionsofthesun.org/
How often do you get to see the day’s first light through an ancient Mayan
archway? With this site, crack-of-dawn-loving organizations NASA and the National
Park Service extend an invitation to do just that. Using two “explorer
modes,” Traditions of the Sun leads you to ancient solar observatories in
the Yucatan and New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon. From there, you can investigate
how ancestral people built those locales to reflect and interact with the sun.
There’s a wealth of stuff here, but we particularly recommend the time-lapse
movies: Glimpse the first blush of sunrise at the Sun Temple in Dzibilchaltun.
Behold the sun as it creeps across the great house of Pueblo Bonito. Or see a shaft
of light briefly illuminate a Native American rock painting. It’s like a date
with daylight; don’t miss it. (From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
Haka
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/culture/haka-feature/haka.cfm
You know those days when you’re racking your brain for a good way to
intimidate your co-workers? The haka may be just what you’re looking for.
Thanks to Tourism New Zealand, you can experience the “energy and awe of
the haka.” Read about its Maori origins and its various forms, then why
New Zealand’s national rugby team, the All Blacks, performs it on the
field before every match. A nifty “Learn to Haka” feature shows you
how to perform the moves and chant, step by step, complete with menacing
eye-rolling and grimaces. So next time you just want everyone to leave you alone
and have a few minutes to yourself, let loose with a mighty “Ka mate!”
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
Eco5.com
http://www.eco5.com/
“Source: European Business School (International University Schloß
Reichartshausen)
‘Eco5.com is a free professional research platform for the financial and
economic world. The concept of eco5.com is based on ‘adding value by
selection’. This is put into practice by carefully selecting free research
resources and making these directly accessible via a simple menu structure,
enabling our users to save research time and energy.’
The home page is deceptively simple. Start exploring the eight sections here and you’ll uncover some real gems. For example, you’ll find an extensive collection of nicely organized links to historic financial data—stock market, GDP, exchange rates, interest rates, employment income/personal consumption, trade, public finance, budget and more. Data is available in varying quantities for North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia—mainly, but not exclusively, from the U.S., the UK, Japan, Germany and France. You’ll also find links to key sources of global historic data.
There’s also good one-stop shopping here for repositories of working papers, finance and economics glossaries, and dictionaries and translation sites. The international institutions section provides links to central banks, finance ministries, chambers of commerce, exchanges and commissions, governments, international organizations and statistical offices. Browse by type of institution or geographic location.” (From The Resources Shelf)
Pew Global Attitudes Project
http://pewglobal.org/
This is “a series of worldwide public opinion surveys. More than 90,000
interviews in 50 countries have been conducted as part of the project.” The
website features reports (on topics such as European views of the U.S. and Islamic
extremism), commentaries (on free trade, global gender gaps, and other topics),
datasets, and summaries of news items. From the Pew Research Center.
(From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
Interview with Claude M. Steele
http://www.nationalacademies.org/interviews/people/steele.html
Growing up just outside of Chicago during the civil rights era, Claude Steele was
raised with an awareness of the importance of education for black Americans. His
interest in literature nearly led him to become a writer, but he found that social
psychology was more to his liking.
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.)
U.S. LOSING GROUND IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/07/15/science
Confirming the suspicions of many, a new report from the National Bureau of Economic
Research indicates that the United States is steadily losing ground to a number of
other countries, particularly China, in the number of PhDs it awards in science and
engineering fields. In 1970, nearly one-third of the world’s college students
attended a college or university in the United States, and more than half of the
science and engineering PhDs were awarded by U.S. schools. A number of global factors
contributed to those numbers, making them artificially high. Since that time, however,
higher education around the world, and especially programs in science and engineering,
has greatly expanded, leaving the United States with just 14 percent of the
world’s college students by 2001. According to the report, China could surpass
the United States as early as 2010 in the number of science and engineering PhDs it
awards.
Inside Higher Ed, 15 July 2005 (via Edupage)
BRITAIN SEES FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN PUBLISHING
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4633423.stm
A new study by the British Library predicts that by the year 2020, 90 percent of newly
published work in the United Kingdom will be available electronically. Just 10 percent
of works published then will be printed only, and half of those published
electronically will also be printed, according to the study. Lynne Brindley, chief
executive of the library, said such a “seismic shift” in publishing
requires different methods to ensure adequate protection and storage of the electronic
materials. The library is developing a digital storage system that it hopes will prove
sufficiently robust. Three copies of every item will exist, with one stored off-site
for recovery in the event of a catastrophic failure. A spokesperson from the library
noted that as published content is increasingly in electronic format, officials must
make decisions about what new types of content they will archive, such as Web sites
and possibly even blog content.
BBC, 29 June 2005 (via Edupage)
GOOGLE MODIFIES LIBRARY PROJECT
http://chronicle.com/free/2005/08/2005081201t.htm
Google has announced some changes to its Library Project following vocal criticism from
a number of publishers. Under the terms of the project, Google made arrangements with
five major libraries to scan some or all of their books, posting at least a portion of
each book in an online repository for public access. Publishers complained that making
such electronic copies of copyrighted works—regardless of whether they are put
online—violates the rights of the copyright holder. Google now says it will not
scan any book that a publisher specifically asks to be exempted, and it will not scan
any copyrighted books until November, giving publishers time to review titles they might
want excluded. Publishers appeared unmoved, however, with the Association of American
Publishers (AAP) saying that Google’s new plan “places the responsibility
for preventing infringement on the copyright owner rather than the user.” Peter
Givler of the Association of American University Presses echoed the AAP’s
dissatisfaction with the changes to the project. He was glad that Google is trying to
address publishers’ concerns but said of the new policy that it
“doesn’t seem to me that it gets us very far.”
Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 August 2005 (via Edupage)
BROADENING THE SCOPE OF FREE COURSEWARE
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/07/29/open
Rice University’s Connexions project is an effort to take the idea of free educational
materials to a new level. Started in 1999 by Richard Baraniuk, professor of electrical and
computer engineering at Rice, Connexions is not unlike MIT’s OpenCourseWare project,
which puts course materials from all MIT classes online for free. In contrast, Connexions
takes the approach of aggregating course materials from professors at any school. Connexions
also offers feedback tools that allow users to rate content, similar to rating systems on
sites such as Amazon.com. In Connexions, ratings happen after publication, rather than before
publication as in traditional peer review, but Baraniuk believes the rating system can provide
an alternative to traditional peer review, a system Baraniuk believes is broken. Baraniuk also
sees enormous potential in Connexions to help community colleges, which rely heavily on adjunct
professors who often have little time for course development. With relatively limited resources,
faculty at community colleges could use Connexions to create courses tailored for their
institution and students, rather than the common practice of simply having to rely on a single
textbook for material.
Inside Higher Ed, 29 July 2005 (via Edupage)
HP CLAIMS PROGRESS ON QUANTUM COMPUTING
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/01/technology/01hewlett.html
Researchers at HP said they have taken a significant step in the development of
a functioning quantum computer, and the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is contributing as much as $10 million to
support the project. As opposed to the transistors—which can register
either 1 or 0—that underlie today’s computer processors, quantum
computing is based on the physics of subatomic particles, allowing so-called
“qubits” to represent both 1 and 0 simultaneously. The result
could be vastly expanded processing power of quantum computers compared to
those based on transistors. The DARPA funding will be used by the researchers
to construct a functioning prototype. One researcher commented that to
perform a single demonstration will not be difficult; the challenge lies in
doing it reliably and “in a way that will allow us to do quantum
information processing.” Other quantum physics researchers question the
basis of the HP team’s approach, saying that fundamentally different
approaches to quantum computing hold more promise.
New York Times, 1 July 2005 (registration req’d) (via Edupage)
PRINCETON DEBUTS UNIVERSITY CHANNEL
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/07/2005072801t.htm
Princeton University has launched the University Channel, an online repository
of video footage of academic lectures. The service serves as a central location
for finding lectures and presentations from colleges and universities that
submit materials. Donna Liu, executive director of the project, noted that
although some institutions provide Webcasts of important lectures, frequently
tapings of lectures are purely for archival purposes and cannot be easily
located or viewed later. The focus of the channel initially will be lectures on
public policy and international affairs, and several institutions have already
submitted content for the site. Topics might be expanded in the future. The
University Channel is also working with cable companies to broadcast some of the
lectures over cable networks. The new channel is similar in concept to a project
at the University of Washington called the Research Channel, which focuses on
scientific and medical research.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 28 July 2005 (sub. req’d) (via Edupage)
NEW LAW ESTABLISHES DATABASES OF MEDICAL ERRORS
http://govhealthit.com/article89736-07-29-05-Web
A bill signed into law last week mandates the creation of a network of databases
that store anonymous information on medical errors. According to a 1999 report
by the Institute of Medicine, medical errors cost the lives of 98,000 people in
the United States each year. Sharing information about those errors is seen by
many as a useful step toward preventing similar errors in the future, but many
health care providers have been reluctant to share such information for fear of
litigation. To that end, the databases mandated by the Patient Safety and
Quality Improvement Act of 2005 will strip identifying information regarding
patients and providers. Reporting information to the databases will be
voluntary, and backers of the measure hope that the anonymity provision will
encourage providers to submit details of medical errors, allowing others to
learn from their mistakes. Dr. J. Edward Hill, president of the American Medical
Association, called the new law “the catalyst we need to transform the
current culture of blame and punishment into one of open communication and
prevention.”
Federal Computer Week, 1 August 2005 (via Edupage)
WEBCASTING LECTURES TO VAST AUDIENCES
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/07/2005072601t.htm
In September, the University of Pittsburgh will host a Webcast that organizers
of the event believe will be the academic lecture with the largest audience in
history. The lecture, given by Dr. Eric K. Noji on the topic of the
public-health consequences of disasters, will potentially be viewed by as many
as one million doctors, students, and others around the world. The lecture will
be transmitted live to a number of organizations, including Internet2,
Egypt’s Library of Alexandria, the Medical Library Association, and
UNICEF. Those organizations will then distribute the Webcast on their own
networks. Because the participating organizations are covering their own costs
for the event, the overall expense for the university will be relatively small.
Ronald E. LaPorte, a professor of epidemiology at the university, said that
disseminating medical research often takes a long time, and part of the goal of
the Webcast is to make such information available much more quickly. LaPorte
also acknowledged that many developing nations lack the technology
infrastructure to support the Webcasts. For them, the university will offer
presentation materials from the lecture as well as other resources.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 26 July 2005 (sub. req’d) (via Edupage)
SENATORS TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE OF SCIENCE GRADS
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3521851
U.S. Senators said they will propose a bill next week to increase federal
funding of multidisciplinary research and support for
“revolutionizing” manufacturing technologies and processes. The
legislation will also increase spending for the Technology Talent Act, which
provides grants to colleges and universities to increase the number of
science and engineering graduates. The proposed legislation is based on the
2004 National Innovation Initiative Report released by the Council on
Competitiveness. That report calls for creating 5,000 new federally funded
graduate fellowships, reworking immigration laws, and building 10
“innovation hot spots.”
Internet News, 21 July 2005 (via Edupage)
PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUMS DEVELOPING ONLINE DATABASE
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/20/arts/design/20east.html
Two prominent photography collections have announced a joint project to create
an online database of images from both collections. The George Eastman House
and the International Center of Photography said the Photomuse.org site will
contain nearly 200,000 images when it is launched, which is projected to be in
the fall of 2006. Between them, the two organizations have some of the most
complete archives of photos, including work from the early days of cameras.
Photos in the database will be assigned a range of keywords so that users can
locate images by more than simply photographer’s name or title of the
photo. A photo of an immigrant couple, for example, will be included in search
results for terms such as “immigration,”
“Italian-Americans,” or “Ellis Island.” Photos in the
database, all of which will be publicly available online, will be of modest
resolution, though higher-resolution images will also be available. Organizers
still must sort out copyright questions for photos not in the public domain.
Owners of some photographs are happy to have the exposure from including their
work, while others are concerned about potential lost revenue if their work is
included.
New York Times, 20 July 2005 (registration req’d) (via Edupage)
KANSAS SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON OWNERSHIP OF FACULTY WORK
http://insidehighered.com/news/2005/08/08/kansas
The Kansas Supreme Court will evaluate an appellate court decision giving public
institutions in Kansas the right to claim ownership of any faculty work,
including books, with no negotiation on terms required. The lower court treated
faculty work as “work for hire” under federal copyright law,
classifying scholarly work as within the scope of employment of a faculty member.
The current policy, designed in 1998, allows faculty to keep their book rights
and has a revenue-sharing model for technology copyrights. Should the higher
court decide in favor of the board, the policy could be changed at will. The case
pits the Kansas Board of Regents against the Kansas National Education
Association.
Inside Higher Ed, 7 August 2005 (via Edupage).
SURVEY SHOWS MIXED IMPACT OF INTERNET ON STUDENTS
http://chronicle.com/prm/weekly/v51/i49/49a03201.htm
A survey conducted in May 2004 by Steve Jones, professor of communciation at the
University of Illinois at Chicago, and Camille Johnson-Yale, a graduate student in
communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, determined that
42 percent of the professors surveyed saw a decline in the quality of student work
with the advent of the Internet, while 22 percent noted an improvement. However, a
majority of respondents, 67 percent, indicated that the Internet had improved their
communication with students. The nationwide survey of 2,316 faculty elicited a
concern with student plagiarism, and 74 percent of respondents said they use the
Internet or other tools to detect plagiarism. The researchers have presented some
of their findings at academic conferences and have submitted their work to a
peer-reviewed academic journal.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 7 August 2005 (sub. req’d) (via Edupage)
BRINGING THE INTERNET TO RURAL INDIA
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/technology/16compute.html
As many as 5,000 villages in rural India may soon be connected to the Internet,
thanks to efforts of an international group of companies and organizations,
including the World Bank. Many rural Indians do not have easy access to business
or government functions, and the project is designed to fill that gap for villages
with more than 5,000 residents in the Indian state of Karnataka. The computer
centers or kiosks will connect to the Internet either through wired networks or by
satellite and will have between 5 and 10 “thin client” computers. In
addition to the World Bank, partners in the project include Comat Technologies, an
Indian Internet service provider; ICICI Bank, a commercial bank in India; and
California-based Wyse Technology, maker of computer terminal equipment.
New York Times, 15 June 2005 (registration req’d) (via Edupage)
U.K. SCHOOLS TEST VALUE OF GAMES
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4134530.stm
Four secondary schools in the United Kingdom will be part of a research project
designed to determine what educational value lies in computer gaming and what
changes could be made to computer games to create or increase that value. The
project, which is funded by game maker Electronic Arts and led by educational
organization Futurelab, will primarily study mainstream games rather than
so-called edutainment programs, which are created specifically for educational
purposes. Researchers will work with teachers to develop lessons that incorporate
commercial games, looking for benefits students gain from playing those games.
Initial results from the project are expected in about a year.
BBC, 10 August 2005 (via Edupage)
In a 6 to 1 vote, last week the Massachusetts Board of Education added science to the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) test, which students will be required to pass before they graduate. The requirement will first affect the class of 2010, which are this year’s incoming eighth-graders. According to an article in The Boston Globe, by making science a graduation requirement, “Massachusetts is joining 13 others states that require the tests or plan to do so soon.”
According to the Globe article, the tests are a mix of “multiple-choice and open-ended questions and should draw from the knowledge that students gain from experiments, textbooks, and lectures.” Opinions about the tests have been mixed. Board members believe the new requirement will focus more time and attention on science. Opponents contend that teachers will focus too much time on test preparation and cut out valuable time for experiments that help students gain a deeper understanding of science. Others worry that too many students will fail the test. To read The Boston Globe article, go to http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/06/29/science_mcas_added_to_list.
Edward Burtynsky
http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/
At least since the Romantics, beauty in nature has often been associated with
benevolence. So what are we to make of the photographs of Edward Burtynsky, which
showcase breathtakingly beautiful landscapes of quarries or fire-orange rivers
stained with nickel tailings? He calls his eerie, painterly images “reflecting
pools of our times,” and much of his work explores how industry transforms
nature. The 16 collections featured here demonstrate Burtynsky’s fascination
with cut rock, recycling yards, and the oil and shipping industries. His “Three
Gorges” collection presents desolate images from China, where 11 cities were
recently destroyed in a six-month period to make way for a massive dam and reservoir.
In Burtynsky’s photos, beauty could very well be the mother of death.
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
The Invisible Library
http://www.invisiblelibrary.com/
Want to read Jo March’s “The Curse of the Coventrys” or Eccentrica
Gallumbits’ “The Big Bang Theory, A Personal View”? Sorry, you
can’t. They’re fictional. Not books of fiction, but fictional books. These
and all the other books listed in The Invisible Library are imaginary titles dreamed
up by authors and referenced in actual works of fiction. Librarian Brian Quinette, with
help from friends also obsessed with fictional fiction, has carefully cataloged
hundreds of non-existent titles. Browse the names of real authors and titles to find
the pseudo versions. From the “books” written by Sherlock Holmes in Arthur
Conan Doyle’s novels, to the “Misery” series created by the fictional
hero of Stephen King’s “Misery,” to the mysterious
“Necronomicon” by H.P. Lovecraft’s Abdul Alhazred, this library boasts
lists of potentially rich reading material—if only they existed.
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
Birding Babylon
http://birdingbabylon.blogspot.com/
Oblivious to human conflict, birds go about the ancient patterns of their lives.
Soldiers, however, can afford neither obliviousness nor ancient patterns, especially
members of the United States military stationed in Iraq. “J,” the blogger
behind Birding Babylon, is both a U.S. soldier and a devoted observer of avian life.
On his first day in Iraq, he was struck by the number of birds he saw—and
identified 26 species. Over the next 18 months, J managed to observe and identify
many feathered friends. At times, his experience seems surreal; once, while fully
armed and guarding his convoy, he couldn’t help but notice a pair of crested
larks nearby. Now that he’s home, he hasn’t given up his obsession, and
continues to research and write about wildlife in Iraq. Perhaps, like J, we all could
learn something from the birds. (From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
Bye Bye Blackboard: From Einstein and others
http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/blackboard/
Educational theorists, professors, and other such types have long predicted the demise
of the blackboard in the classroom. While many remain skeptical of other forms of
transmitting knowledge (such as the use of tools such as PowerPoint and the like), it
is certainly true that blackboards are disappearing from many classrooms. With that in
mind, the Museum of the History of Science at the University of Oxford has created this
online exhibit that pays tribute to the blackboard and its many uses. Visitors to the
site can view eighteen different blackboards from contributors that include Albert
Einstein, Brian Eno, Glenda Jackson, and Alain de Botton. Visitors can view large
images of each blackboard and its contents and also view some brief commentary from
each contributor. [KMG] (From the Scout Report)
All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2005. 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.