The Natural History Museum's Collections and Research Data Locator
http://flood.nhm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/locator/
The Natural History Museum, London released this data locator in December 2001. The data locator currently includes information from 22 different electronic databases that users can now search all at once. Searches can be performed by genus, species, or partial name; and results can be limited by database type. Results include all records and images the museum has online. [AL]
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National Coastal Condition Report [.pdf]
http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr/index.html
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently released this report on the condition of coastal ecosystems. The report combines data from a variety of government agencies conducting ongoing monitoring to "present a broad baseline picture of the condition of coastal waters." The report finds that the "[o]verall condition of the nation's estuaries was fair based on seven basic indicators of ecological condition." The text of this introductory Web page states that printed copies of the report and fact sheet can be obtained by calling the listed phone number, but both can also be accessed online by clicking on the hyperlinks "Fact Sheet" or "Continue to National Coastal Condition Report Download Site." [AL]
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American Society of International Law: Wildlife Interest Group [.pdf]
http://eelink.net/~asilwildlife/index.shtml
"The purpose of the American Society of International Law's Wildlife Interest Group is to contribute to the objective of conserving endangered wildlife species by helping to strengthen international wildlife treaty regimes, regional accords and national legislation that implements international treaty regimes." The site focuses on scholarly reports and publications, available online for members and non-members alike. Two potentially useful resources are a link to the annual International Wildlife Law Conference and a bibliography of literature on the topic of environmental change and its impact on species, ecosystems, and agriculture. Although the information originates from the field of law, the information presented may be of interest to a scientific audience as well. [AL]
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Environment Australia's Biodiversity Clearing-house Mechanism
http://chm.environment.gov.au/
Developed by Environment Australia, this Web site is intended to foster the sharing of scientific and technical biodiversity information. Anyone can post information to the site; therefore, the Commonwealth of Australia does not accept responsibility for information obtained from the site. To reach the searchable database, users will need to follow the Biodiversity Information Manager links after reading the disclaimer. A feature that is particularly helpful to frequent site visitors, or those looking for the most current biodiversity information, is the listing of all information posted within the last 60 days. [AL]
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AlgaeBase
http://www.algaebase.org/
AlgaeBase is an organization "committed to providing free access over the internet to information on algae." Users may search this database for algae species of interest by scientific or common name. Results are cross referenced with synonyms, and some species include photos. A nice feature of this site is that the images can be searched separately to assist those who are only interested in results that include photos. [AL]
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The Whole Brain Atlas
http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/home.html
The Whole Brain Atlas is "an information resource for central nervous system imaging," sponsored by the Departments of Radiology and Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Countway Library of Medicine, and the American Academy of Neurology. The images are arranged in cases, by series that show normal aging, or in progressive stages of various brain diseases. The cases can be selected and navigated from the home page or through the Java-based Atlas Navigator. To be more user-friendly, the site also includes features such as a Neuroimaging Primer and help pages. [AL]
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Wormatlas
http://wormatlas.org/
This new Web site from the Center for C. elegans Anatomy is still under construction, but many site features are currently active. Although the Handbook of Worm Anatomy is not completed, there are some extremely detailed images that can be accessed through the Handbook link. The site is a repository for a variety of worm resources including abbreviations, scientific protocol, and a link to the Wormbase database of gene mapping and sequencing information. One feature that is under construction is a database of worm anatomy, which will likely add a great deal to the appeal of this site once it is completed. [AL]
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Two on Herbicide Atrazine's Effect on Frogs [.pdf]
Weed Killer Deforms Sex Organs in Frogs, Study Finds
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/17/science/17FROG.html
Hermaphroditic, Demasculinized Frogs after Exposure to the Herbicide Atrazine at Low Ecologically Relevant Doses
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/99/8/5476
These two Web sites discuss current research findings surrounding the use of the weed killer, atrazine, and sex organ deformities in frogs exposed to it. The first is an article from the New York Times that summarizes the recent research report; free registration is required to view the article. The second is the actual report authored by the scientists and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) online journal. The PNAS article can be viewed online or downloaded in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format for printing. The research finds that some frogs exposed to realistic levels of the commonly used herbicide developed multiple sex organs and experienced degeneration of some masculine features. Neither of these reports focus on the potential impact of atrazine on humans, but they do raise it as an important question. [AL]
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The Shape of Life [Real Player, .pdf]
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/
This new companion Web site to the PBS series The Shape of Life allows visitors to trace the "dramatic rise of the animal kingdom" through the research efforts of current scientists. The body of information is divided into eight different evolutionary "episodes" that include video clips, biographies, and research of leading scientists. Each episode also includes a featured animal page with facts, photos, and links to related Web sites. Although the content of the site seems to be aimed at a middle or high school level, teachers may appreciate the activity guide that contains several downloadable activities and questions for all ages to explore. [AL]
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Way Cool Surgery
http://www.waycoolsurgery.com/
Offered by Ohio's Mount Carmel Hospital and COSI, the hands-on science centers in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, this Web site is cool. Designed for middle and high school students, the site allows visitors to watch video clips of six different stages of a coronary bypass surgery. Written descriptions of the key steps accompany the video; so, those who prefer not to watch the video clips will still learn from the information. Students can also learn about the risk factors associated with heart disease and read follow-up reports on patients recovering from heart surgery. Another feature that may be of interest to some students is the profiling of various health care professionals and some of the specialized training required for a career in these fields. [AL]
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Astro-Venture [Real Player, Shockwave]
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/astrobiology/astroventure/avhome.html
NASA's Astro-Venture helps students explore NASA careers and astrobiology research by offering activities that allow them to "search for and build a planet with the necessary characteristics for human habitation." Astro Ferret and NASA scientists guide students through these interactive activities where they make changes to the solar system and see how those changes impact the earth. Designed for students in grades 5-8, the site includes a substantial section for teachers and parents that includes lesson plans and suggestions for incorporating this site into the classroom, as well as more information for students interested NASA careers. [AL]
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Everglades National Park: Educational Resources
http://www.nps.gov/ever/ed/index.htm
This educational resource from the Everglades National Park provides a variety of activities for grades K-6. Covering a wide variety of life science subjects, lesson plans include habitat, food chains, biodiversity, and more. A geography lesson is included, but is most applicable for those living in Florida. There are lots of additional teacher resources for honing up on Everglades-related topics, as well as reading lists for students and teachers. These lesson plans provide some good information that can be incorporated into science or geography classrooms, regardless of where the students live. [AL]
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Journey Into Amazonia
http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/
This companion Web site to the PBS series Journey into Amazonia explores the changing seasons and the effects on the ecosystem of the annual flooding of the Amazon River. A variety of animal species that live in the river, the floodplain, and the rainforest canopy are introduced, along with a selection of plant species that are useful to humans. The Sacred Ground page is brief, but focuses on the important topic of conservation science. What makes this site most valuable to teachers, however, is the Teacher Resources section that includes seven different lesson plans for students in grades 5-10, focused on Amazonia. The lesson plans are designed to incorporate video clips from the series (videos can be ordered online) or as stand-alone activities. [AL]
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The Last Straw [Shockwave]
http://cycas.cornell.edu/ebp/projects/laststraw/ise/entrance.html
Developed by a group of programmers, teachers, plant experts, students, and staff at Cornell University, this interactive Web site allows visitors to model the effects of water stress on plants "based on current research being done by scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research." Students first navigate through a set of tutorials and quizzes teaching them about the basic requirements of plants. After that, students perform an online experiment. By modifying the types of plants, and the conditions under which their plants are grown, students use the simulated growth chamber to test what they have learned and answer their own experimental questions. [AL]
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The Greatest Places [QuickTime]
http://www.greatestplaces.org/book_pages/top.html
Associated with the Science Museum of Minnesota, this Web site is a companion to the large-format film "The Greatest Places." Each of seven geographically diverse areas are featured, along with selected aspects of their culture and biological resources. The Okovango Delta and Madagascar sections have a stronger focus on the flora and fauna of the areas, while the others focus more on the culture and geography. This site is an interesting taste of seven unique areas and includes plenty of links for those who are looking for more. [AL]
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Curriculum Resources
http://www.jburroughs.org/science/resources/resources.html
Offering science curriculum resources, this Web site is from John Burroughs School in St. Louis, Missouri. Designed for middle and high school classes at John Burroughs School, the resources focus on anatomy, life cycles, and plant identification. Many of the photo tutorials are arranged in a sequential order that makes them useful for students reviewing for an exam. Several of the tutorials may also be appropriate for college level courses. [AL]
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Birds: A Virtual Exhibition
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Birds/Birds/
This site from the Virtual Museum of Canada compiles a wealth of information from five different Canadian museums into one location for the benefit of bird lovers. This site does not provide original information; rather, it links to online bird-related exhibits from each of the five museums, which can be navigated through individually. What makes this site particularly valuable is the ability to perform a search of all five museum exhibits at once, providing a comprehensive source of information for the user that builds on the strengths of each individual exhibit. [AL]
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EventOnline.org
http://www.eventonline.org
Excerpta Medica, a medical communications agency, provides this site as a portal to information on conferences, meetings, and events in medical and biotechnology fields. Users of the site can search for events by date or subject. Date, location, and conference information, along with links to conference Web sites, are provided. [AL]
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Cetacean Assessment and Ecology Program
http://nmml.afsc.noaa.gov/CetaceanAssessment/cetacean.htm#Top
The homepage for the Cetacean Assessment and Ecology Program of the National Marine Mammal Laboratory has recently undergone updates that change its look and navigation scheme. Drop-down menus at the top of the page allow users to quickly navigate between several categories of files and research available for download. The site provides general information about several species of whales, along with more specific research that is being conducted by the program. One interesting feature is the collection of maps that track the movement of tagged whales. [AL]
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Freshwater and Marine Image Bank
http://content.lib.washington.edu/fish/
This image bank is part of the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections. The site makes available more than 2600 images, all from 18th and 19th century publications, many of which "lay buried in aging volumes on fragile paper in obscure corners of library stacks." Users can search or browse for images; each has been scanned for the digital collection and includes a description and bibliographic citation. This is a unique resource that uses modern technology to preserve substantial historical data. This site is also reviewed in the April 19, 2002 Scout Report. [AL]
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Life at High Temperatures
http://www.bact.wisc.edu/bact303/b1
The author of this site, Thomas D. Brock, Emeritus Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been conducting biological and geochemical field studies in Yellowstone National Park since the mid-1960s. This site is an interesting look at the "microorganisms that live in the boiling waters and run-off channels of the geysers and hot springs." Microbes are not the only life forms discussed on the site, just the most detailed. Plants, animals, and algae that live in and around hot springs are also touched on. The information is written for a general audience, is easy to navigate, and includes some great photos from Yellowstone. [AL]
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The Increasingly Official Mary Midgley Webpage
http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~matzke/midgley/midgley.htm
Mary Midgley is a British moral philosopher who offers a critical response to a variety of scientific issues. Created and maintained by an enthusiast, this Web site provides links to a sampling of Midgley's work and articles about her. Particularly interesting is the series of articles and responses surrounding Richard Dawkins well known book The Selfish Gene. Midgley and Dawkins exchange positions in a heated debate on whether or not humans are simply selfish "gene-machines." This site is in no way a complete source on the philosophical debate surrounding biological determinism, or Midgley herself, but it may serve to peak the interest of some readers. [AL]
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Altruis Biomedical Network
http://www.altruisbiomedical.net/
Altruis Biomedical Network is a "large network of numerous topic-specific [Web sites] focusing on information in healthcare and biomedical research." The content of the site is plentiful; visitors to this meta-page can choose from numerous biomedical topics to explore. Users should note, though, that the large network tries to generate Internet traffic within its body of sites by providing a forum for "topic-specific product advertising." Nevertheless, the advertisements are unobtrusive, and many, if not all, of the sites have been prepared by healthcare professionals and scientists. [AL]
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California Plant Names, Word Meanings and Name Derivations
http://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/index.html
Created by an enthusiast, this site is a unique compilation of botanical etymology from a broad range of sources. The list focuses on plants found in Southern California, but "many if not most of these names are in general use world-wide." A simple alphabetical listing of botanical words and their meanings and derivations allows for user-friendly navigation. A similar list of botanical terms enhances the usefulness of this resource. [AL]
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Emerging Viruses
1. Emerging and Re-emerging Viruses
http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/335/Emerging1.html
2. Report of the NSTC Committee on International Science
http://www.ostp.gov/CISET/html/toc.html
3. Disease Outbreaks Reported
http://www.who.int/disease-outbreak-news/index.html
4 ThinkQuest: The Hidden Killers: Deadly Viruses
http://library.thinkquest.org/23054/
5. Introduction to Molecular Virology
http://www.uct.ac.za/microbiology/tutorial/virtut1.html
6. Marburg and Ebola Viruses
http://www.bocklabs.wisc.edu/eov-ebola.html
7. West Nile Virus
http://westnilevirus.nbii.gov/
8. Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm
Emerging viruses are those "whose incidence in humans has increased in the past 2 decades or threatens to increase in the near future." This week's Topic in Depth focuses on sites related to viruses, particularly those that are considered "emerging."
The first site (1) is an essay by Alison Jacobson of the University of Capetown that discusses some emerging and potentially emerging viruses, along with factors that contribute to the threat. From a US government interagency working group, the second report (2) focuses on the responses to infectious disease outbreaks, including drugs, vaccines, and government response. A World Health Organization site (3) highlights recent reports of infectious disease, archived by date and by disease. This ThinkQuest site (4) gives a basic introduction to viruses and how they cause infections. An online virology tutorial (5) by Ed Rybicki of the University of Cape Town serves as a lesson on the basics of virology for a more advanced student. The next two sites focus on the specifics of selected viruses. From the Institute for Molecular Virology (6) comes a resource on Marburg and Ebola viruses, and from the National Biological Information Infrastructure (7) is a site on West Nile Virus. The last resource (8) is a scholarly journal from the Centers for Disease Control that presents some of the latest scientific research on emerging diseases. [AL]
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Below are the copyright statements to be included when reproducing annotations from The NSDL Scout Report for the Life Sciences.
The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this report, in any format:
From The NSDL Scout Report for Life Sciences, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2002. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
The paragraph below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing the entire report, in any format:
Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-2002. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, are preserved on all copies.
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