Gene Almanac: Neanderthal Reconstruction [Flash]
http://www.dnalc.org/neandertal.html
The Dolan DNA Learning Center of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory invites visitors to explore their new online feature -- Our Neanderthal Reconstruction: A World First! The Web site introduces Neanderthal bone structure and guides visitors on a virtual tour of the reconstruction process. A series of annotated photos demonstrates how researchers and technicians recreated an adult Neanderthal skeleton, and includes a page listing the provenance of the fossil casts used for each bone. Visitors may also view side-by-side comparison sketches of the human and Neanderthal skeleton, and compare DNA sequences of the two hominids. Anyone interested in physical anthropology should enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at this first-ever Neanderthal reconstruction. [RS]
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Bronx Zoo Congo Gorilla Forest [QuickTime, Shockwave]
http://www.congogorillaforest.com/
In this Web site, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) offers a virtual tour of the impressive, multi-million dollar Congo Gorilla Forest Exhibit at the Bronx Zoo. Through the exhibit and this companion Web site, WCS seeks to "bring the African rainforest to life" and use "the beauty and majesty of gorillas and other animals to teach conservation." The virtual tour covers not just the animals and their recreated rainforest (including photos, facts, and QuickTime video clips), but also all that went into the making of this elaborate exhibit. An online game -- Conservation Quest -- lets players role play as an okapi, mandrill, gorilla, or elephant. While the information provided in this Web site does not go into great detail, the great visuals and charismatic creatures make it well worth a visit. [RS]
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Insect Vectors of Human Pathogens
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu:8050/course/ent425/text18/humanvectors.html
Malaria, Chagas disease, tularemia, dysentery, and even pinkeye are just some of the diseases transmitted to humans by insects. Dr. John Meyer may have created this Web site for his entomology students at North Carolina State University, but its interesting material and straightforward format make this a great site for the general visitor as well. For each family of insect described, the Web site includes a photo of a representative species, a short description of the diseases they carry, and links to other Web pages (mostly university or government Web sites) for more detailed information. [RS]
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Earth Observatory: Melting Snows of Kilimanjaro
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10856
Satellite photos of Mt. Kilimanjaro have become recently available from NASA's Earth Observatory, a "freely-accessible publication on the Internet where the public can obtain new satellite imagery and scientific information about our home planet." Taken in 1993 and again in 2000, these photos chronicle the dramatic disappearance of Kilimanjaro's glacial ice cap, a sensitive indicator of climate change that some scientists believe may vanish altogether by 2015. The Web site provides links to other views of Kilimanjaro, as well as to other new images. [RS]
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DrugDigest
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home
DrugDigest is a "noncommercial, evidence-based, consumer health and drug information site dedicated to empowering consumers to make informed choices about drugs and treatment options." This exhaustive Web site offers a variety of resources to help readers manage their health, including easy-to-read reference materials, a potentially life-saving drug interactions database, informative news and features, and eBulletins -- an email service that delivers news and information on selected health conditions, free of charge. [RS]
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Is It Poison Ivy?
http://www.floridaplants.com/Eflora/poisonivy.htm
With this Web site from Florida Plants Online, you don't need to be a botanist to tell poison ivy apart from its benign look-alike, Virginia creeper. Photos and detailed identification tips, as well as numerous links to additional information, help readers learn how to avoid "one of nature's most dreaded plants." The site also includes information on how to diagnose a poison ivy reaction (including a link to images of contact dermatitis). [RS]
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African Wildlife Foundation
http://www.awf.org/
Through research and community-based conservation, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has "played a major role in ensuring the continues existence of some of Africa's most rare and treasure species such as the elephant, the mountain gorilla, rhinoceros, and cheetah." The AWF Web site offers loads of information on the current programs and program locations, including factsheets and photos of African wildlife. Other features include an online library of recent and archived news articles, and a noncommercial safari planner for the informed ecotourist. Altogether, it's an appealing and informative Web site. [RS]
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Contributions to Global Warming Map [.eps, .zip, .psd]
http://www.wri.org/wri/climate/contributions_map.html
This Web site comes from the World Resources Institute, "an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives." The site contains a map of the relative contribution of carbon dioxide emissions of different geographic areas, and is offered as part of WRI's Global Topics: Climate Change and Energy. The map, which depicts emissions from 1900-99 to reflect the estimated residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere, can be downloaded. The site also includes a table of the top CO2-producing countries and links to the data sources used to create the map. [RS]
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