Endeavour Botanical Illustrations
http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/perth/cook/index.dsml
Visitors to this Web site from the Natural History Museum in London can retrace the scientific voyage of the HMS Endeavor (1786-1771) through the work of artist Sydney Parkinson and others working from Parkinson's original sketches. Parkinson's beautiful botanical illustrations from the voyage are nearly all represented in this online collection, which also provides a detailed history of the collection, the expedition, and the people involved. Visitors may browse the collection by country using an interactive map of the Endeavor voyage or a dropdown menu, or search the collection by botanical name. [RS]
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MEDLINEplus: Medical Dictionary
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html
MEDLINEplus, the consumer health Web site from the National Library of Medicine, had recently added an online version of Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary. Added in response to feedback from MEDLINEplus users, the medical dictionary provides definitions, correct spelling, and pronunciation help for 60,000 words and phrases used by healthcare professionals. The dictionary also offers "biographies of individuals who have given their names to the language of medicine." With the addition of this medical dictionary, MEDLINEplus becomes an even more valuable resource for staying informed about one's health. [RS]
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Flesh and Bone: A New Generation of Scientists Bring Dinosaurs Back to Life [RealPlayer, WinMedia]
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0303/feature1/index.htm
The online version of the March 2003 issue of National Geographic Magazine (NGM) includes this interesting multimedia feature about "a new generation of scientists [that] is using computer modeling and a better understanding of living animals to bring dinosaurs back to life -- virtually." In addition to the feature article, the Web site includes an online-exclusive image gallery, "On Assignment" notes from National Geographic writers and photographers, related Web links and other resources, and a short video presenting "an insider's look at how the photographer put the bite into the NGM cover shot of a model T. rex skull." This is a great Web site for any visitor, but should especially appeal to dinosaur lovers, computer and engineering types, and photographers. [RS]
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Molecular Expressions Photo Gallery: Burgers and Fries
http://www.microscopy.fsu.edu/micro/gallery/burgersnfries/burgersnfries.html
The Optical Microscopy Division of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory -- a joint venture of Florida State University, the University of Florida, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory -- presents this uncommon look at a familiar favorite. Burgers and Fries, just one of many fantastic image galleries from the Molecular Expressions Web site, shows how "this delightful classic is just as beautiful as it is tasty." Visitors will find a microscopic examination of cooked meat; wheat; onion, lettuce, and potato tissue; and crystallized cheese proteins. These fascinating photos are accompanied by an entertaining historical account of the burger and fries combo. [RS]
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Biodiversity Explorer
http://www.museums.org.za/bio/
Part of Museums Online: South Africa, Biodiversity Explorer "is devoted to showing and explaining the diversity, biology, and interactions of life on earth, particularly the life we have here in southern Africa." Biodiversity Explorer provides an astounding number of information-rich Web pages covering regional plants, scorpions and spiders, insects, vertebrates, and marine life. Visitors will find detailed information (with references) and lots of photos within these pages, each with numerous hypertext links for exploring related topics. Visitors may browse the Web site by category or use the taxon index to locate species of interest. Don't know where to start? The Spotlight feature offers a few interesting examples, such as water bears that can remain dormant for over 100 years and how the San hunters use poisonous beetles for the tips of their arrows. [RS]
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BBC Nature: Green Living [Flash]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/environment/greenliving/
This BBC Web site offers readers an online guide to environmentally-sound lifestyle choices. While created for UK residents, anyone interested in learning more about "green living" can take advantage of this comprehensive, well-designed Web site. The site includes a number of informative Green Guides (Energy, Food, Gardening, Holidays, Recycling, Transport, and Christmas), each packed with facts, consumer tips, relevant Web links, and more. The Web site even includes an interactive game -- a fun way to get kids involved in everyday conservation. [RS]
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The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University: Plants
http://arboretum.harvard.edu/plants/plants.html
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University provides this in-depth Web site featuring plants found at the Arboretum and related information. Visitors to this site will find sections featuring selected plants at the Arboretum, collections management, on-site projects, a plant-information hotline, and a detailed table listing bloom times for dozens of plants; guidelines for adjusting dates for localities beyond New England are provided. The Featured Plants section, for example, includes a look at 18 of the Arboretum's 600+ trees and shrubs over 100 years old and a detailed introduction to the art of bonsai. Plant lovers anywhere should enjoy this interesting and nicely presented Web site. [RS]
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ScientificAmerican.com: Restoring Aging Bones
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=000E5452-A1AB-1E41-89E0809EC588EEDF&pageNumber=1&catID=2
This in-depth article from the March 2003 online issue of Scientific American takes a close look at osteoporosis and current related research. The 5-page article carefully explains the physiology of osteoporosis and details research regarding novel prevention and treatment options. The article, which may be emailed or downloaded in a printer-friendly version, also includes references for further exploring the subject. This Web site may not offer many bells and whistles, but does provide an authoritative source of up-to-date information on a common and potentially devastating medical condition. [RS]
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