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(reviewers choice)
Name of Site: New Scientist
URL: http://www.newscientist.co.uk/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 20
Review: Every time you hear some late breaking scientific news in the
mainstream media, chances are they read it in a 6 month old back issue
of New Scientist. For the hobbiest or serious scientist alike, the coverage
this print magazine provides is entertaining, eye-opening, informative
and ground-breaking. The web site adds extra sections, unlike some web
versions of magazines, and provides 1200 scientific links comprehensively
reviewed and categorized. They make even the most esoteric scientific
disciplines accessible to everyone, and the focus is on the latest discoveries
and how they may affect our lives and the way we think about life itself.
- SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: NASA
URL: http://www.nasa.gov/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Medium
Graphics: Heavy, Good Quality
Internal Links: Countless
Review: No matter where your allegiances lie with regard to where scientific
research and funding should be focussed, it is hard to ignore the impact
of the collective activities of this gargantuan beast. Since the end of
the cold war and the race to the moon, NASA has grown, diversified, metamorphosed,
mutated into a creature of many disciplines, departments and projects.
The rather understated home page links to a universe of departments, channels,
institutions and strategic enterprises, all designed to advance the American
dream. Something for everyone - exciting breakthroughs, galactic visions,
educational tools and countless special projects that have inspired more
than a few Hollywood blockbusters. Houston, the only problem we have is
we're just too damn big. It's hard to know where to start and when to
leave, so just bookmark it and keep coming back for more. - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: Discovery
URL: http://www.discovery.com/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Heavy, Good Quality
Internal Links: 100s
Review: Having an entertainment and multimedia bent when it comes to presenting
science on the Internet is definitely a big plus for the visitor. A lot
of science sites might have incredibly profound discoveries and insights,
but without being visually appealing and easy to follow, they just don't
get the attention they may deserve. Discovery, on the other hand dishes
out page after page of attractive, informative, interesting material.
Sure, the showbiz and shopping factor is pretty heavy, but we are all
human, and these guys know we love to know about this stuff, so long as
it is entertaining. Perhaps in amongst the razzamatazz, there is a little
scientific learning, environmental awareness and planetary consciousness
going down here. If only we could put that remote control down and get
off the couch. - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: NanoTechnology Magazine
URL: http://nanozine.com/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Medium Quality
Internal Links: 30
Review: If you believe the hype, nanotechnology is going to pretty much
rip a gaping big hole in the fabric of our entire exisitence. When combined
with other technologies, like genetics and advancing computer design,
if we manage to manipulate atoms to the extent the present day theorists
are proposing, the possibilities are unfathomable. Since it is still at
least a decade away before the real impressive tricks are performed, the
funding is slightly lacking, but this rather basic site still manages
to present an excellent primer on the subject, with quality links to other
specialist research and development sites, along with some very imaginitive
speculation as to the kinds of things we might expect to see as we grow
older - or younger. It's minaturization taken to the extreme, the level
nature has been working on for millions of years. Now it's our turn. -
SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: Sea and Sky
URL: http://www.seasky.org/mainmenu.html
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Heavy, Good Quality
Internal Links: 50
Review: It's so refreshing to see a well designed site, filled with bright,
bold colours and even brighter photographs, especially when you find out
the entire site and all its contents has been done by one person. What
began as a hobby is now an entire world of images, information, games,
links, software and assorted mini-portals all highlighting the wonders
of the sea and outer space. You might find more specialised scientific
information elsewhere, but kids and adults alike would really enjoy the
sheer splendour combined with the ease of use and the enthusiasm of the
site's creator, as a lovely journey into these two natural realms. It's
not all pretty pictures, there is plenty of factual data to fill your
frontal lobes with as well. - SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: National Institute of Standards
and Technology
URL: http://www.nist.gov/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 100s
Review: While globalisation is supposed to be taking over the planet,
there is still a mood of feverish nationalism abounding across the globe,
and one of the benefits of the fierce compatition between countries is
that their respective governments realise the importance of research and
development in our increasingly technologically-driven economy. The US
NIST has been in operation for just on 100 years, and reveals on this
site an astounding avalanche of developments that are rapidly transforming
our lives in so many ways. Their guidance with regard to standards and
the general direction of emerging technologies seems to be quite a positive
influence, though ultimately the entire process is bound to be driven
by politics, money and power, eventually the benifits will trickle down
to all humans the world over. - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: National Geographic
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Heavy, Good Quality
Internal Links: 1000s
Review: As if running one of the most popular magazines on the planet
wasn't enough, the folks at NG are now running an amazing Web Site as
well, bringing you "the world and all that is in it" in new
and exciting ways. The virtual tour of the Solar System, the countless
other interactive journeys through the wilderness, the lives and times
of our little crusty ball of molten rock. You could spend a month here
and still not savour everything, so just bookmark it, as 1,000,000 others
have done and keep coming back for more in this ever growing shrine to
life itself. - SS
Rating: *****
Name of Site: Electronic Musical Instruments
1870-1990
URL: http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/
Plug-Ins: NO
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Medium Quality
Internal Links: 200
Review: For those of you who thought electronic music began arounf the
time Technotronic put out that classic masterpiece "Pump up the Jam",
perhaps you ought to take a look here. This site traces a 120 year history
of people creating music with electricity. A fascinating account of the
discoveries as they were made and the relative successes and failures
of devices such as the 200 Tonne "Telharmonium" of 1897, or
the ultra-famous Moog Synthesizer. Electronic music is the ultimate fusion
of science and humanity, since music is such a physical, mental and even
spiritual experiance, yet it can be created by tweaking a few knobs and
wires. Its evolution mirrors scientific advances in all fields and affects
us all as we groove to the latest dance tracks. This site will show you
how we got here. - SS
Rating: ***
Name of Site: Advanced Building Technologies
URL: http://www.advancedbuildings.org/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 90
Review: If you were a builder, you'd be well advised to keep checking
this site. It reveals the latest advances in building technology, environmental
friendliness, sustainability, efficiency and design innovation. We are
rapidly moving away from old-world bricks and tiles, wood and copper as
mounting pressures to provide cost-effective and ecologicaly sound building
solutions steer R & D in the building industry. Although this may
be of more interest to developers and builders, it would pay to research
this stuff a little bit so that you know the right questions to ask net
time you are considering buying an investment apartment off the plan.
The site provides detailed description of each innovation and case studies
of actual buildings utilizing the new technology. - SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: PhysLINK.com
URL: http://www.physlink.com/
Plug-Ins: No
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Medium Quality
Internal Links: 150
Review: What started out as the idea of a Physics undergraduate has grown
into a reasonably respectable Physics domain. With a mission to entertain,
inform, and provide educational resources and reference materials, PhysLINK
is rapidly growing into a site well worth bookmarking. It seems, however
that perhaps a lack of human resources has meant that a large portion
of the content has to take the for of links to third party sites, although
the forums are local and quite active. The links are well chosen with
essentials like tables of elements and other basic resources nice and
accessible. Join the teachers club or any number of the specialist societies
listed. PhysLINK makes it as easy as Quantum Mechanics. - SS
Rating: ***
Name of Site: Snow Crystals
URL: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/
Plug-Ins:
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: heavy, Good Quality
Internal Links: 50
Review: One of the wonders of the world would have to be the snowflake.
Mathematics and physics working in such an elegant way to produce an infinite
range of beautiful microscopic patterns, seemingly for no other reason
than the sheer fun of being able to do it. This site delves deep into
the world of the snow crystal, explaining in detail how it all happens
and enthusing the visitor with the whole history of how they were first
discovered and photographed, how crustals can be grown and the simple
yet captivating beauty of such tiny and intricate structures. Plenty of
photos and information to keep you entertained, whether you are a child
or an adult who may need to rediscover the wonders of science and maybe
even life itself. - SS
Rating: ****
Name of Site: Discovery Earth Alert
URL: http://www.discovery.com/news/earthalert/earthalert.html
Plug-Ins: Yes
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Good Quality
Internal Links: 30
Review: What a great way to report and monitor the world we inhabit. Using
a simple map, and a set of icons within a Flash presentation, visitors
get to click around and see just what is going on around this great planet
of ours. Part of the Discovery network, this eye on the world is updated
regularly with the latest significant natural and man-made occurences.
From medical alerts to pest plagues, natural disasters and endangered
species, this kind of perspective has great potential to raise our awareness
of our interconnectedness and interdependence as we graphically observe
our living, breathing ecosystem. - SS
Rating: ****
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