Digital Bridges [.pdf]
http://bridges.lib.lehigh.edu/
"The Digital Bridges Web site consists of a collection thirty representative 19th century American bridge engineering monographs, manuals, and documents from the Lehigh University Libraries' Special Collections." The archive provides an interesting retrospective into the beginnings of major bridge projects; the material is complete with high-resolution photographs and text scanned from original books. In addition to historical literature, Digital Bridges also features brief accounts of notable people and companies that influenced bridge construction across the country. A glossary of terms commonly used in the documents is also provided. [CL]
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PC Lube and Tune
http://pclt.cis.yale.edu/pclt/default.htm
The objective of PC Lube and Tune "is to supply usable introductions, tutorials, and education on technical subjects to the large audience of computer users." For example, an article added January 20, 2003, looks at the history and evolution of the graphical user interface. The author demonstrates how computers interpret items such as the mouse, toolbars, and menus. Another article explains the basics of Web standards, such as HTML and XML, and how they are used to encode information. Not all of the articles are about computer technologies, though. For instance, one deals with the Microsoft's anti-trust case and its associated technical issues and implications. [CL]
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USAF Museum [RealPlayer]
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/index.htm
The US Air Force Museum, situated on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is the "oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world." Its homepage is the next best thing to visiting the museum in person. Several galleries showcase hundreds of aircraft, ranging from the early 1900s to modern military jets. Spacecraft and components are also featured. The galleries include photographs, descriptions, technical specifications, and historical accounts; some of the more notable aircraft have short videos that can be viewed online. Other galleries include weapons, engines, and Air Force history. Once a month, a special feature highlights famous Air Force personnel. [CL]
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X2000/ MDS: Advanced Avionics and Autonomy for the Future [Flash, .pdf]
http://x2000.jpl.nasa.gov/
In contrast to the established practice of designing spacecraft and equipment for their individual missions, the goal of the X2000/ Mission Data System (MDS) is to design one highly adaptable system that can be used for a variety of missions. A project of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the X2000/ MDS is intended to meet the requirements of the next generation of space exploration. The project's homepage has details of technology being developed for the X2000/ MDS. Five papers related to the project and its scope are provided, but they are somewhat dated. A short educational curriculum on advanced avionics can be found in the education section of the site. [CL]
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The TeraGrid: A Primer [.pdf]
http://www.teragrid.org/TeraGrid-Primer-Sept-02.pdf
A project of the National Science Foundation, the TeraGrid is "a multi-year effort to build and deploy the world's largest, fastest, distributed infrastructure for open scientific research." This paper, published in September 2002, describes the activities and ongoing projects that will ultimately lead to the project's completion. TeraGrid, as the name implies, is based on principles of grid computing. It will eventually consist of a massive network of computers spread out over several sites that can work simultaneously and independently on scientific applications. Many specifications and design objectives are outlined in the paper, offering some insight into the ambitious project. [CL]
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SecurityFocus Online
http://online.securityfocus.com/
This news service from SecurityFocus is an excellent resource to learn about important computer security warnings and alerts. The Web site keeps track of many widely used software applications, while reporting known vulnerabilities as they are found. Viruses and worms are another key topic that receives significant attention. Several columns offer expert advice and tips to efficiently use and understand software for different platforms. Government security is covered in the news section, discussing federal practices and legislation related to the national network infrastructure. Because the articles have such a broad scope, the material can be useful for both home and business users. [CL]
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MDAlink [.pdf]
http://www.acq.osd.mil/bmdo/bmdolink/html/bmdolink.html
Although US plans for missile defense have somewhat been taken out of the spotlight, the Missile Defense Agency homepage offers relatively current news and press releases. Perhaps the most interesting features of the Web site, from a scientific perspective, are the introduction and fact sheets that describe how missile defense works. Several documents are available for download, which address engineering and technical issues associated with the system's design. They discuss the basic operation and objectives of the missile defense program, as well as explaining how testing and evaluation will be conducted. One fact sheet is devoted to the challenges of the program; it focuses on how to defend against a ballistic missile in each phase of its trajectory. [CL]
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Lemelson-MIT Program: Press Releases
http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/n-press-03index.html
The Lemelson-MIT Invention Index is "an annual survey of Americans' perceptions about inventing and innovating," and on January 21, 2003, the results for 2003 were released. According to this article, the one invention that respondents said they could not live without was the toothbrush, which was found to be more important than the PC, the automobile, the cellular phone, and the microwave oven. Specific results are reported in the press release. Also on this Web site are links to the previous seven surveys. The focus of each year's study usually varies, and it is interesting to note changes in peoples' perceptions over the years. [CL]
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