(reviewers choice)
Name of Site: New Scientist
URL: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 2012 update - try this link: http://www.musicproductionschools.net/resources/electronic-music-in-the-20th-century/
Plug-Ins: NO
Navigability: Easy
Graphics: Medium, Medium Quality
Internal Links: 200
Review: For those of you who thought electronic music began around 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: 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: 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: 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: 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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