01/18/06
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R&D Programs Weather Tough Budget Climate (So Far)
http://www.cra.org/govaffairs/blog/
“In early November we warned that the funding outlook for science agencies
this year looked to be worsening, but some new technology programs were in play.
Shortly after, Congress proved us partially wrong by increasing funding for the
National Science Foundation (NSF) above what Congress was proposing at the
beginning of the year. But Congress’ work isn’t finished for the year.
Capitol Hill and the White House are actively discussing an across-the-board cut
to everything that has been approved earlier this year. Rumors put the percentage
cut at around 1 percent, but some have said it could be up to three percent. We
won’t know the final number until Congress comes back in the beginning of
December. Here are the funding figures so far:
| Agency | FY2006 | FY2005 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSF | $5,643,193,934 | $5,473,000,000 | 3.11 |
| DOE Office of Science | $3,633,000,000 | $3,600,000,000 | 0.92 |
| NIST Labs | $399,389,157 | $379,000,000 | 5.38 |
| NASA (top line) | $16,427,177,760 | $16,100,000,000 | 2.03 |
| DHS Cybersec Research | $16,700,000 | $18,000,000 | -7.22 |
We will update the final numbers once Congress decides whether to apply an across-the-board cut and, if so, how much.
It is pretty shocking that Congress actually increased NSF above what either the House or Senate approved at the beginning of the year. It is even more surprising considering that the budget climate actually got much worse over that same time period. This might be the untold story of this year. Certainly one significant factor has been the tremendous drumbeat in the media and from many members of Congress about the role that research funding plays in supporting America’s global competitiveness. Tom Friedman’s book “The World is Flat” is a best seller, and Congress realizes that the American public is beginning to understand that their future is tied to innovation and the next technology breakthroughs that drive economic growth.
(From ACM Washington Update)
Turing Award Winners Earn Nation’s Highest Civilian Award
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051103-5.html
November also saw Bob Kahn and Vinton Cerf awarded the Presidential Medal of
Freedom for their pioneering work on Internet protocols. Established by
Executive Order 11085 in 1963, the Medal may be awarded by the President
“to any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to
(1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world
peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private
endeavors.”
In its announcement, the White House notes that the two “have been at the forefront of a digital revolution that has transformed global commerce, communication, and entertainment.” The award caps a big year for the research team. As we reported in this space previously, the pair won ACM’s 2004 A.M. Turing Award, which is often considered the Noble Prize for computing. Following the ceremony Cerf and Kahn participated in an interactive online forum — a full transcript is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ask/20051109-2.html
(From ACM Washington Update)
Budget Reconciliation Bill Includes New Grant Program for STEM Students
A budget reconciliation bill passed by the Senate before the holidays and is
expected to be passed in early February in the House includes $3.75 billion
over the next five years for grants targeted to low income students who major
in physical, life, or computer science; mathematics; technology; engineering;
or “foreign languages that are critical to national security.”
The new Department of Education Science and Math Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grants program was included as a mandatory funding program as part of Title IV of the Higher Education Act, which means the program is not subject to the annual appropriations process. These supplemental grants will be available to Pell-eligible college students who seek to major in the fields listed above. In the first year of study, students can receive up to $750 in assistance, which is in addition to funds they can also receive under the Pell program. In the second year, students can receive up to $1,300, and in their third and fourth years of college, they can receive up to $4,000 in assistance.
To be eligible during the first two years of the program a student must be eligible for a Pell grant and have completed a rigorous high school program. During the third and fourth years, students must enroll in one of the STEM areas listed above or a foreign language deemed necessary for national security to receive the full $4,000 amount. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 grade average to continue receiving assistance. There is no service obligation associated with the grant.
For more information, contact Jodi Peterson at jpeterson@nsta.org.
(From NSTA Legislative Update)
Nieman Reports: Intelligent Design (pdf)
http://www.poynter.org/resource/94013/NR05W_Intelligent_Design.pdf
From The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University comes a
collection of essays for journalists about reporting on intelligent design.
OECD Review of Environmental Policy in the U.S. (pdf)
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/6/28/35919474.pdf
“A new OECD review of environmental policy in the U.S. recommends more
efficient use of energy and water as a way to safeguard economic prosperity
while protecting the environment and human health. Despite progress in some
areas over the past decade, more effort is needed in others. The OECD
recommends that the U.S. play a more proactive role in dealing with global
environmental concerns.” Full text of the report is fee-based. However,
conclusions and recommendations are available free.
The Impact of Electronic Publishing
http://www.campus-technology.com/article.asp?id=17723
An article by John Savarese.
NSTA Express Poll Indicates Widespread Support for National Science Standards …
http://www.science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2006_01_17_poll.htm
A recent survey conducted in NSTA Express reveals strong support for
national content standards in science, uniform assessments, and a national
curriculum. The survey asked science educators if they thought a uniform
set of national content standards in science that every state would be
required to use is a good idea, and a resounding 71% said yes (27% said no).
The results were similar when respondents were asked if they liked the idea
of uniform national assessments (64% supported the idea and 34% did not) and
a national science curriculum (73% supported the idea, 26% did not).
OMB policy on posting information sparks debate
http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/37832-1.html
The OMB Memorandum (pdf)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/memoranda/fy2006/m06-02.pdf
“The Office of Management and Budget’s new policy asking agencies
to improve how they disseminate public information is at the heart of a
larger battle over how much categorization is needed to make government
information publicly accessible.” (From Government Computer News)
U.S. Competitiveness: The Innovation
http://ieeeusa.org/policy/issues/innovation/index.html
This IEEE Website tracks legislation, new stories, and documents on this topic.
FY 2006 R&D Appropriations Wrap-Up Report (pdf)
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/upd1205.pdf
Full Report (pdf)
http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/ca06.pdf
“On December 30, nearly three months into the fiscal year, President
Bush signed the last two FY 2006 appropriations bills into law, bringing
the FY 2006 appropriations process to a close. In the FY 2006 R&D
appropriations wrap-up report now available on the AAAS R&D web site
(URL above), AAAS estimates that the federal R&D portfolio totals $134.8
billion in 2006, a $2.2 billion or 1.7 percent increase. But 97 percent
of the increase goes to just two areas: defense weapons development and
human space exploration technologies. Funding for all other federal R&D
programs collectively will barely increase, and will fall nearly 2
percent after adjusting for inflation. Leaving out large federal
investments in development, congressional appropriations for basic and
applied research total $57.0 billion, an increase of $1.0 billion or 1.8
percent over 2005. But NASA applied research on human space flight
technologies accounts for a majority of the increase, leaving most
agency research portfolios with modest increases falling short of
inflation, or cuts.
Many flagship federal science agencies have disappointing budgets in 2006: the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget falls for the first time in 36 years; the National Science Foundation (NSF) wins a small increase but has less in real terms for its research portfolio than in any of the last three years; the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science budget declines, and despite big increases in development funding the Department of Defense (DOD)’s basic research funding declines.
For several measures of the federal R&D investment, final FY 2006 appropriations represent another year on a downward slope from the highs of a few years ago. For trend after trend, big increases leading up to 2003 flattened out more recently, and now funding is headed down in real terms.”
(From AAAS)
NAE 2006 National Meeting Symposium: Gilbreth Lectures
http://www.nae.edu/nae/naehome.nsf/weblinks/CGOZ-6JPLA2?OpenDocument
A distinguished group of young engineers from the Academy’s Frontiers
of Engineering program will explore leading-edge developments in several
fields of engineering in the Gilbreth Lectures at the NAE National Meeting.
This free event on Feb. 9 is open to the public; registration is required.
State of Science Standards, 2005.
Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 2005.
http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/Science%20Standards.FinalFinal.pdf
External Review Draft, Nanotechnology White Paper.
EPA, 2005.
http://www.epa.gov/osa/pdfs/EPA_nanotechnology_white_paper_external_review_draft_12-02-2005.pdf
Stand-Down of Los Alamos National Laboratory: Total Costs Uncertain; Almost All Mission-Critical Programs Were Affected but Have Recovered.
GAO, 2005.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0683.pdf
Real Science — Encouraging experimentation and investigation in school science learning.
NESTA, 2005.
http://www.nesta.org.uk/assets/pdf/RealScienceFullReport1.pdf
National Summit on Competitiveness, Statement of the national Summit on Competitiveness: Investing in U.S. Innovation, December 2005.
http://www.usinnovation.org/pdf/National_Summit_Statement.pdf
Extended Range Forecast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurricane Activity and U.S. Landfall Strike Probability for 2006.
Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, 2005.
http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/2005/dec2005/
Homeland Security: DHS Needs to Improve Ethics-Related Management Controls for the Science and Technology Directorate.
GAO, 2005.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06206.pdf
Survey of Recent Innovations in Energy Policy.
Government Innovators Network, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2005.
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/cache/documents/9905.pdf
Assessing Fitness for Military Enlistment: Physical, Medical, and Mental Health Standards.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11511.html
Review of NASA Plans for the International Space Station.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11512.html
Linkages: Manufacturing Trends in Electronics Interconnection Technology.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11515.html
Performance Measurement: Accelerating Improvement.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11517.html
Supporting Local Health Care in a Chronic Crisis: Management and Financing Approaches in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11513.html
Enhancing the Community College Pathway to Engineering Careers.
NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11438.html
The Future of Technology Assessment.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 2005.
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/news/docs/techassessment.pdf
Initial Employment Report: Physics and Astronomy Degree Recipients of 2002 & 2003.
AIP, 2005.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/awf.pdf
America’s Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11311.html
Assessing and Managing the Ecological Impacts of Paved Roads.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11535.html
Improved Seismic Monitoring — Improved Decision-Making: Assessing the Value of Reduced Uncertainty.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11327.html
Learning to Think Spatially: GIS as a Support System in the K-12 Curriculum.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11019.html
Letter Report for the Committee on Prospective Benefits of DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Fossil Energy R&D Programs.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11532.html
Linkages: Manufacturing Trends in Electronics Interconnection Technology.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11515.html
Noise and Military Service: Implications for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11443.html
Safe Medical Devices for Children.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11313.html
Superfund and Mining Megasites: Lessons from the Coeur d’Alene River Basin.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11359.html
Systems for State Science Assessment.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11312.html
Improved Seismic Monitoring — Improved Decision-Making: Assessing the Value of Reduced Uncertainty.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11327.html
Treating Infectious Diseases in a Microbial World: Report of Two Workshops on Novel Antimicrobial Therapeutics.
NAP, 2005
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11471.html
Science Cinematheque
http://www.movingimage.us/science/
Frequently, art imitates life, and at times, the foreshadowing power of art
can shape debates about critical issues facing human kind. The Museum of the
Moving Image continues this tradition with their Sloan Science Cinematheque
website, which is intended to serve as a general forum that will enhance the
public understanding of science and technology. The site is divided into
three primary sections, including one that contains short student films,
lively scholarly articles, and “Dialogues”. This last section contains video
coverage of panel discussion about science and film held at the Museum’s
headquarters. The student films are well worth taking a look at, as they
address a wide range of themes, including urban ornithology and a city-dweller
obsessed with botany. The site concludes with the articles section,
which features commentary from the Museum’s curators on the recent
documentary “Grizzly Man”, and the complex depiction of the late Alfred
Kinsey in the film “Kinsey”. [KMG] (From the Scout Report)
Natural Science—FAQs
http://www.resourceshelf.com/2006/01/geology-and-related-topics-searchable.html
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Frequently Asked Questions
The one-line description on this simple, uncluttered page says it all:
“Our FAQ database contains hundreds of answers to frequently asked
questions on a wide range of natural science topics.” And so it does.
You can browse these by topic — they’re in alphabetical order,
from aerial photographs to wildlife — or do a simple search of
everything by typing a keyword or phrase in the text box provided. There are
34 topics in all, several of which pop up regularly as school report
assignments, e.g., Endangered Species, Volcanoes.
By default, clicking on each FAQ topic will display 20 questions and their answers. Radio buttons at the bottom of the page allow you to display up to 100 questions and answers at a time (if that many are available for a given topic). In some cases, the source of the question and answer is available as a live link — e.g., to the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) FAQs or the National Atlas of the United States of America. This is pretty cool because it leads you to related resources outside this site.
BTW, while you’re browsing around here, you may want to also visit the USGS Library. It offers four databases:
Additionally, there are vetted collections of links to map-related sites, and U.S. and world geological surveys. You can also search the library catalog. (By Shirl Kennedy in ResourceShelf)
MASSIVE
http://www.science-groove.org/MASSIVE/
MicrobeLibrary
http://www.microbelibrary.org/
(From ResourceShelf)
Ben Franklin Resources on the Web
http://ben.clusty.com/
The Benjamin Franklin web portal is a comprehensive, one-stop site that includes
carefully curated educational resources, Franklin’s own writings and proverbs,
and tens of thousands of websites scattered throughout cyberspace. Befitting this
founding father’s leadership in establishing the country’s first public
library, this free site, in honor of his Tercentenary, is accessible to anyone with
an internet connection.
BBC Story on Science’s Picks for Best Science of 2005
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4552466.stm
Science — Breakthrough of 2005
http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/btoy2005/
NSF, 2005: Year in Review
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=105693&org=NSF&from=news
Top Science Stories of 2005
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=00065442-09C2-13AB-896383414B7F4945
NASA, 2005: A Year of Exploration Milestones
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/2005_YIR.html
PhysicsWeb
http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/12/14/1
Best Science Photographs of 2005
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1004_051004_science_photos.html
Best Science Illustrations of 2005
http://www.livescience.com/imageoftheday/siod_051003.html
IgNobel 2005 Awards
http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2005/Nov/hour1_112505.html
Each year the editors of Science choose the most important research breakthroughs
of the year. In 2005, the topic is evolution. The Science site leads you to article
on this topic and the runners up, including a streaming video.
NSF brings you its choices for the year in review.
Scientific American brings you their choice of the top science news stories of the year.
2005 was the International Year of Physics, and NASA and PhysicsWeb both have their lists of the most important news.
The National Geographic brings you a gallery of the best science photographs of 2005, and LiveScience the best illustrations, and these are all stunning!
And who would want to forget the science that, in the words of IgNobel’s master of ceremonies Marc Abrahams, “first makes people laugh, then makes them think”.
The FunWorks
http://www.thefunworks.org/
The FunWorks featured in Cisco Public Awareness Campaign
On November 7, 2005, Cisco Systems, Inc. and The National Center for Women &
Information Technology (NCWIT) launched a campaign to increase awareness about
education and career opportunities for girls and women in math, computing and
technology. Also partnering on the initiative is Education Development Center
Inc., creators of The FunWorks—NSDL’s only career exploration
collection developed specifically for and by middle school-aged youth. Other
partners in the campaign include the Information Technology Association of
America and the Stanford University Office of Science Outreach and Junior
Achievement. The campaign is designed to address the declining interest of girls
and women in information technology careers. The campaign kicks off with a letter
targeting parents, educators, and girls and introduces a comprehensive digital
library with a variety of resources for encouraging interest in math, computing
and technology, including information about careers, local technology clubs,
programs, curricula and summer camps. The campaign website features the FunWorks
as a premiere resource for youth, parents and educators.
Restoring the Elwha River
http://www.americanrivers.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ps_Elwha
Information about the “removal of two dams on Washington [state]’s
Elwha River, beginning in 2008, [which] will be one of the most significant
river restoration projects of our time.” Provides background material
about the river; information about the dam removal and river restoration; maps;
photos; “3-D photo-realistic visualizations that depict the Elwha valley
before, during, and after dam removal”; and other resources about the
river and the project. From the nonprofit organization American Rivers.
(From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
Animal Vegetable Video
http://www.anivegvideo.com/
What does a flock of sheep do when it’s alone? In 1988, Sam Easterson
strapped a video camera to a sheep’s head to find out. (The answer: a
lot of starting and stopping and checking in with each other). Sam has since
outfitted a wide range of wild animals with his custom-designed
“helmet-mounted” cameras. And, with the sample footage available
here, he allows us to glimpse his astonishing work. A wolf snuffles and digs
in the undergrowth; a baby chick squeakily trails another hatchling; a
tarantula pads across the rocks. There’s a lot of nosing around: A
wheezy pig pokes in the mud with its wide snout; an alligator nudges through
the swamp, occasionally flaring its nostrils. We’re even offered a
tumbleweed’s point of view as it plunges onward. The videos are choppy
and brief, but they’re unfettered by human presence — and
that’s enormously satisfying. (From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
BugScope
http://bugscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/
K–12 students can view bugs under a scanning electron microscope via
the World Wide Web by applying to the program and describing the type of
project they want to do (from the University of Illinois).
(From the Exploratorium)
The Computing Revolution
http://www.mos.org/exhibits/ComputingRevolution/
A virtual exhibit from the Boston Museum of Science covering history,
hacking, predictions (both bad and good), and more.
The Grid on Tryscience
http://www.tryscience.org/grid/home.html
What’s “grid computing” and how can it solve huge problems
like finding a cure for cancer? You’ll learn through several online and
offline activities available on this site. You’ll need the free Flash
Player. (From the Exploratorium)
iWASwondering.org
http://www.iwaswondering.org/
The Web site iWASwondering.org is a project of the National Academy of Sciences
intended to showcase the accomplishments of contemporary women in science and
to highlight for young people the varied and intriguing careers of some of
today’s most prominent female scientists. The site draws from and
accompanies the publication of a ten-volume series of biographies entitled
Women’s Adventures in Science, co-published by the Joseph Henry Press (an
imprint of the National Academies Press) and Scholastic Library Publishing.
Seattle Power and Water Supply Collection
http://content.lib.washington.edu/ww-spwsweb/index.html
The western United States has been the site of some of the most ambitious
public works projects in the country’s history. One only need think of
massive structures such as the Hoover Dam or the Grand Coulee Dam to be
reminded of the strong human desire that compels various groups of
individuals to harness and control water. This latest digital collection
from the University of Washington’s Digital Collections group showcases
images of hydroelectric power and water supply facilities built in the state
of Washington from the 1890s to the 1950s. Among its 695 images, visitors
will find construction photographs of the Snoqualmie Falls Power Plant,
plans for the “Seattle Water System”, and the Lower Baker River
development, which was built with steam donkeys and dynamite. Understanding of
these developments in public works (and the photographs themselves) is greatly
enhanced by an accompanying essay on the construction of these edifices by
noted local historians Paul Dorpat and Genevieve McCoy. [KMG]
(From the Scout Report)
CosmicQuest
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/cosmicquest/index.html
NASA and the Russian space agency have spent over forty years solving
the problems of living in space. Can you match wits with their
engineers and design a human habitat as good as the new International
Space Station? (From Blue Web’N)
USPTO Releases Annual List of Top 10 Organizations Receiving Most U.S. Patents
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/speeches/06-03.htm
IFI Announces Top Patent Winners for 2005
http://www.ificlaims.com/press_release012006a.html
Source: IFI Patent Intelligence
“Using proprietary, state-of-the art indexing and standardization
technology, IFI Patent Intelligence, a Wolters Kluwer business, today
issued its annual compilation of the top U.S. patent winners. According
to the analysis, the total number of U.S. patents issued in 2005 declined
12 percent compared to 2004. This is the second year in a row to show a
decrease — 2004 posted a 2.7 percent drop. Even IBM Corp., which
tops the list this year as it has for 13 straight years, saw a decline of
more than 9 percent with 302 fewer patents than in 2004. At 2,972 patents,
IBM’s annual total falls below the 3,000 mark for the first time
since 2001. Canon and Hewlett-Packard come in at number 2 and 3
respectively, but well below IBM.” (From ResourceShelf)
Power Play: An Activity about Capturing Power
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/powerplay.html
A fun online game to “capture power” by putting together some
crazy virtual machines. You’ll need the free Flash Player.
(From the Exploratorium)
Frontline: The Storm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/storm/
This Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Frontline program “examines how and
why government at every level — local, state and federal — was unprepared,
uncoordinated and overwhelmed in dealing with the Hurricane Katrina
disaster.” The website features interviews, analysis, a timeline of the
warnings leading up to the hurricane, excerpts from home videos, video of
the program, readings and links, and a teacher’s guide.
(From Librarian’s Index to the Internet)
Precipitation Analysis
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_new.php
High-quality precipitation analyses used for flood forecasts, drought
monitoring and climate trends are being made available on the NOAA
National Weather Service Web site on a trial basis through June 2006.
NASA: Satellite Tracking [Real Player, pdf]
http://science.nasa.gov/realtime/
Union of Concerned Scientists’ Satellite Database
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_security/space_weapons/satellite_database.html
1.) While NASA has offered a number of fine sites about their research for the
general public over the years, this particular site may be one of their
best. With a minimum of fuss, visitors can use several of the online
tracking applications offered here to locate hundreds of satellites and
other such large objects in space. A good way to start a visit to this site
is by taking a look at the J-Track 2.5 section, as it offers a quick way to
find out the current location of the Space Station and the Chandra X-Ray
Observatory. Additionally, visitors can also locate weather satellites using
this application. The Live 3D Java Tracking Display here allows visitors to
monitor close to 700 satellites that are in motion around the earth.
Finally, visitors can also use a handy application offered here that allows
them to determine which satellites might be seen from their location in the
night sky. [KMG](From the Scout Report)
2.) Have you ever seen the distant flickering of a satellite in the night sky and wondered what country it might belong to or what it might be used for? Now you can indulge your curiosity with the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Satellite Database, the first comprehensive, easy-to-use repository of information on the more than 800 active satellites. “We are launching the database not only to feed interest, but to start a conversation about the best uses of space,” said Dr. Grego. “People can learn just how valuable satellites are by browsing through the database. Satellites serve many practical functions, from weather forecasting and television broadcasting to military spying. But many people aren’t aware that satellites could become threatened, as some in the United States government want to build weapons to destroy or interfere with satellites. It raises a slew of scientific and diplomatic questions.”
The database is in Excel format and can be downloaded on the UCS website.
NASA JPL Stardust Site
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Space.com Stardust Archive
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/0601_stardust_archive.html
Stardust@home
http://stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
The stardust is here!
“NASA’s Stardust sample return mission returned safely to Earth when the capsule carrying cometary and interstellar particles successfully touched down at 2:10 a.m. Pacific time (3:10 a.m. Mountain time) in the desert salt flats of the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range.” In January 2004, the Stardust spacecraft flew through the coma of comet Wild2 and captured thousands of cometary dust grains in special aerogel collectors. Two years later Stardust has returned, bringing these dust grains — the first sample return from a solid solar-system body beyond the Moon — to Earth. But Stardust carries an equally important payload on the opposite side of the cometary collector: the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust ever collected. As well as being the first mission to return samples from a comet, Stardust is the first sample return mission from the Galaxy. But finding the incredibly tiny interstellar dust impacts in the Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector (SIDC) will be extremely difficult.
The Space.com website is loaded with news stories on every aspect of this project, including graphics, animations and links.
You can participate in this project through Stardust@home! “We are seeking volunteers to help us to search for these tiny samples of matter from the galaxy. Volunteers are critical to the success of this project. Please help us find the first samples of contemporary Stardust ever collected.” You can be a space explorer from the comfort of your own computer …
Molecularium: Kid Site
http://www.molecularium.com/kidsite.html
What lives in the nano world? You’ll find out here through interactive
activities, a gallery, and more! By Rensselaer’s Nanoscale Science and
Engineering Center for Directed Assembly of Nanostructures. You’ll
need the free Flash Player. (From the Exploratorium)
The Library of Economics and Liberty
http://www.econlib.org/index.html
With substantial financial support from the Liberty Fund, Inc. the Library
of Economics and Liberty is “dedicated to advancing the study of economics,
markets, and liberty.” The site will be a real treat for anyone with a
penchant for these issues, and perhaps may even spark a new interest for the
first-time visitor. The site’s features include a number of features
columns, definitive editions of classics in the fields of political theory
and economics, and a number of annotated bibliographies. For those looking
for some contemporary perspectives on related issues, they need look no
further than the Library’s homepage. Visitors can read reflections on “licit
globalization” from Ibsen Martinez and a piece titled “Why is Economics so
Boring?” from Boston College’s Donald Cox. For a bit of fun, visitors can
also view a list of upcoming birthdays of notable economists such as Gunnar
Myrdal and others. [KMG] (From the Scout Report)
“The Mummy Who Would Be King”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mummy/
It is a tantalizing idea and an outrageous long-shot: a shriveled
mummy with crossed arms that has lain neglected on a dusty museum
shelf at Niagara Falls could be the remains of a long-lost Egyptian
king. While a trail of clues hints at how the looted mummy made its
way to North America, archeologists, scientists, and even an
orthodontist look to the latest genetic testing and imaging
techniques in hopes of ascertaining the body’s hidden identity.
“The Mummy Who Would Be King” reveals an astounding story
filled with historical intrigue and the wonders of forensic science.
On the NOVA Web site:
Resources for Economists on the Internet
http://rfe.org/
Search Engine
http://ese.rfe.org/
“Resources for Economists on the Internet is a categorized
list of resources relevant to economists, with categories like Data,
Forecasting & Consulting, and Software. Don’t forget to use the
Details link for each of the listings — there’s plenty more
information available.
RFE now has a search engine as well. The ESE (Economics Search Engine) uses Nutch to index 300,000 pages from 10,000 economics sites around the Internet. Materials indexed include text, PDF, and Microsoft Word files.” (From ResearchBuzz)
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.)
GEORGE MASON DEVELOPS ACADEMIC BROWSER ADD-ON
http://chronicle.com/daily/2005/12/2005120602t.htm
Researchers at George Mason University are developing a plug-in for the
Firefox browser that will help academics organize sources and properly
cite them. The tool is designed to harvest bibliographic information
from online sources and organize it for someone doing research on the
Web. Assuming the bibliographic elements are formatted in a way the
software can recognize, the application will parse title, author, and
other information and correlate it with the source. Daniel J. Cohen,
assistant professor of history and one of the developers, said it can
be thought of as “incredibly smart bookmarking… You’re not just
bookmarking the page, but you’re automatically [capturing]…all that
info that scholars want to save.” Unlike commercial products that
organize sources, the new application will tie directly into the
browser, eliminating the step of manually collecting citation details.
The open source application is expected to be completed next year and
will be available for no charge from George Mason’s Web site. Cohen
said he believes the application will make unintentional plagiarism
less likely than if a researcher were keeping sources organized
manually.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 6 December 2005 (sub. req’d) (via Edupage)
EXPERT-EDITED ALTERNATIVE TO WIKIPEDIA
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/19/sanger_onlinepedia_with_experts/
Larry Sanger, a co-founder of Wikipedia, plans to launch a project
called Digital Universe that will take advantage of public input for
its content but rely on acknowledged experts to edit the submissions.
Material will be free, with copyrighted material available to
subscribers for a fee. A number of institutions have already signed up
for the project, including the American Museum of Natural History and
the National Council for Science and the Environment. Sanger has raised
$10 million in start-up funding.
The Register, 19 December 2005 (via Edupage)
UNIVERSITY LOOKS FOR TECHNOPHOBES FOR STUDY
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4588322.stm
Researchers at the University of Dundee are looking for subjects for a
study about how to make technology more appealing to users who are not
especially comfortable with the latest gadgets. Alex Carmichael,
research fellow at the university, said, “Unfortunately a lot of
’modern technology’ tends to be designed by relatively young and
technically savvy people, effectively for other young, technically
savvy people.” Many users may believe in the advantages of technology
but are uneasy with having to learn how it works. In addition, the
change between 2008 and 2012 from analog to digital television will
force many users to adjust to new technology, whether they want to or
not. The research project, which is seeking individuals over 40 who
have difficulty adapting to technology, will look at ways to smooth
that transition, including changes to interfaces and controls and
possibly using new devices for purposes that would be more appropriate
for users in their 40s.
BBC, 6 January 2006 (via Edupage)
USPTO TO WORK WITH OPEN SOURCE DEVELOPERS
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/technology/10blue.html
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will participate in a
series of efforts intended to improve the quality of software patents
and reduce the time and money organizations currently spend challenging
and defending patents, particularly for open source applications. As
open source technologies have flourished, high-profile disputes over
the validity of software patents and over so-called prior art have
become a common aspect of intellectual property concerns. Many have
faulted the USPTO for issuing too many patents, saying that many of
them rely on components developed by others. The patent office will
work with open source developers and industry to establish more and
clearer channels of communication about technologies. Such an open
exchange of information, it is hoped, will reduce the number of
unwarranted patents issued while minimizing the efforts spent defending
legitimate patents. In another initiative, the USPTO will develop a
quality index for patents.
New York Times, 10 January 2006 (registration req’d) (via Edupage)
DHS GRANT FUNDS OPEN SOURCE RESEARCH
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3576886
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded a $1.24 million,
three-year contract to improve the quality of open source software.
Given the growing reliance on open source technologies for
infrastructure that underpins national security, DHS expects to see
real benefits from the grant. The award will be split among Stanford
University, Symantec, and Coverity, a firm that specializes in code
analysis. Rob Rachwald, senior director of marketing at Coverity, said,
“The DHS in many ways is obviously brokering this and they are the main
beneficiary.” For the grant, Coverity will identify security flaws and
risks; Stanford will offer academic analysis of trends and provide
opinions about the relative security of various technologies; and
Symantec will provide consulting on how governmental agencies can
incorporate open source products in a secure fashion into their own
applications.
Internet News, 11 January 2006 (via Edupage)
Phylotaxis
http://www.phylotaxis.com/
This site from Seed Magazine and artist Jonathan Harris visually explores
“the space where science meets culture.” (Jonathan Harris also
designed our 10th Anniversary Netrospective, and we’re unabashed
fans.) Here’s what happens on Phylotaxis: A program scours the Web
for science news. It then transforms the articles into small, colorful
beads that shimmer just slightly and form a circle. Move your cursor over
the beads, and they enlarge and spread. Click, and a story emerges. A ball
of bright blues and greens reveals an article on Martian water; a black,
metallic ring leads to an examination of Iran’s space program. The
small disks, the colors, and the articles shift and update as new stories
emerge online. Agitate the circles, load new ones, and select by date or
theme. Or do what we did, which is browse and marvel.
(From Yahoo’s Picks of the Week)
British Library Puts Mozart Online
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.html
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of W. A. Mozart,
the British Library has placed pages from the composer’s “Catalogue of
Aall My Works” online. Mozart compiled the diary of sorts between
February 1784 and December 1791, making entries for 145 of his works.
For each entry, Mozart wrote the title, date it was composed, and
instruments that should perform it. For some works, the composer also
identified who commissioned it, where it was composed, and singers who
performed it. Mozart then added to the diary the opening bars of each
work included. For the project, the British Library commissioned the
Royal College of Music to record those opening bars for about half of
the works in the diary. Visitors to the Web site can see Mozart’s
notes and click on a link to hear the recording of the opening.
BBC, 12 January 2006 (via Edupage). Check this same site for
Leonardo’s sketches, the first atlas of Europe, Alice in Wonderland,
and more …
All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2006. 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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