A Look at Pain [Flash]
http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/pain/pain_flash.html
Once you get beyond the creepy Twin Peaks-ish background music and the disembodied voices, you'll find a very well-presented and comprehensive (if not particularly in-depth) introduction to the complex and poorly understood world of chronic pain. This Canadian Broadcasting Company Web site is the online companion to "A Disease Called Pain" -- an episode from the documentary series The Nature of Things. In addition to an overview of program content, the site offers general information about pain: why we feel it, how we treat it, the difference between chronic and acute pain, and so on. Visitors may also listen to a series of short interviews about living with chronic pain from a former teacher suffering from fibromyalgia. The site provides an extensive set of Web links to reliable resources on the topic. [RS]
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New Zealand Penguins
http://www.penguin.net.nz/
Created and maintained by Dave Houston -- a Department of Conservation ranger in Oamaru, New Zealand -- this appealing Web site introduces the penguins of New Zealand (and elsewhere, to a lesser extent). Why are penguins black and white? What do you call a group of penguins? How do penguins sleep? The FAQ section (one of the better ones the Internet has to offer) answers these questions and many more, while including a related photo for each. The site also provides natural history information for seven penguin species; lists locations for viewing both wild and captive penguins around the world (relevant Web links provided); details penguin threats and conservation; and more. Two Webcams broadcast images from the Oamaru blue penguin colony. Visitors will also find a detailed overview of penguin-related research that Houston has participated in. Quite comprehensive and fun to browse -- a great Web site for a charismatic critter. [RS]
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University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections: Salmon Collection
http://content.lib.washington.edu/salmonweb/index.html
The University of Washington presents the Salmon Collection, an online digital collection of "documents, photographs, and other original material describing the roots of the salmon crisis in the Pacific Northwest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries." Users may search for items by keyword or browse the entire collection, organized into the following categories: Native Americans, Traps and Fishwheels, Salmon Industry in Washington, Salmon on the Columbia River, Fish Drying, Salmon Industry in Alaska, Salmon Canneries, and Salmon Hatcheries. For a brief overview of the salmon crisis in the Pacific Northwest, click on About this Site (also provides technical information about the collection and its content). The photographs are particularly compelling. The entire collection should appeal to ecologists and history buffs alike. [RS]
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The Lupus Site
http://www.uklupus.co.uk/
This Web site, run independently by Joanne Forshaw of Wigan, England, offers an extensive, online information resource on the autoimmune disease lupus. Readers will find over 150 pages of clear and current information about lupus, covering symptoms, treatment, diagnosis and tests, complementary therapies, related news, and much more. The FAQ page is a good starting point for exploring the site. Users will have to put up with a steady stream of popup ads, but interested users should find the Lupus Site is worth this small inconvenience. [RS]
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Save the Rhino
http://www.savetherhino.com/index.php?id=156
This Web site is the homepage for Save the Rhino International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to (you guessed it) protecting rhino populations in the wild. The organization provides support for community conservation projects in Asia and Africa, and raises funds by entering a Save the Rhino team in major marathons and other competitions -- with a team member dressed in a 7-foot high rhino costume. Visitors to this Web site will find a ton of information on Save the Rhino projects, as well as general information on the five species of rhino -- all of which are critically endangered or conservation dependent. [RS]
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World Health Organization: Health Situation in Iraq [.pdf]
http://www.who.int/features/2003/iraq/en/
This World Health Organization (WHO) Web site provides this authoritative source of information on the current state of public health in Iraq. The site features daily press briefings and press releases from WHO, as well as six reports on the following topics: the potential impact of the Iraqi conflict on health, emergency and humanitarian action, guidelines and standards for the control of communicable diseases during the Iraq crisis, mental health in emergencies, optimal feeding of infants and young children during emergencies, and Iraq-specific health statistics and contact information. While content is geared toward those involved in Iraqi public health issues, this Web site is also a valuable resource for the general reader wanting timely information about on-the-ground realities in Iraq. [RS]
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Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/ansel/
This Web site is the online companion to the PBS American Experience program "Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film." The film and the Web site offer an intriguing exploration of US environmental history in the context of Adams's life and work, including the closing of the American wilderness and conflicts between economic growth and conservation. Visitors will find a variety of informative features on this site, including an in-depth look at the documentary, loads of related references, and Web-only special features such as an interview with the chief park interpreter for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. And of course, visitors may enjoy a gallery of photos by Ansel Adams -- a name synonymous with nature photography. [RS]
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Bye Bye Birdie: Vilifying a Virus [QuickTime]
http://whyfiles.org/175west_nile/index.html
SARS may currently dominate the headlines, but the Whyfiles takes another look at another fast-spreading viral disease: West Nile. West Nile has spread to 44 US states and beyond, and while it can be fatal to humans, it remains primarily a bird disease. The Whyfiles offers an in-depth exploration of West Nile in North American birds, tackling the questions "How far? How fast? What's next? Who's next?" The report also explains how researchers conduct bird studies, such as lab and field studies, anecdotal observations, and so on. Visitors may also view a QuickTime interview with Paul Slota of National Wildlife Health Center. [RS]
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