General
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/index.html
Any lover of airplanes is bound to enjoy this collection of digitized photos “of many of the unique research aircraft” from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The photos go back to the 1940s and into the present. Multiple resolutions are available. The collection is regularly updated. Visitors can browse the entire list alphabetically, or go right to the most recent postings in “What’s New” or check out the Slide Show of selected photos. Each photo is accompanied by a short description of the aircraft's flight history. Some other miscellaneous photos include the shock wave of a T-38 at Mach 1.1 and photos of Dryden pilots. [VF]
http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/strawbale.html
The Sustainable Building Sourcebook is an online publication in partnership with the City of Austin, Texas, Green Building Program. This section of the Sourcebook provides information and resources on straw bale construction. The article begins with a definition of straw bale construction as a construction that uses "baled straw from wheat, oats, barley, rye, rice and others in walls covered by stucco...." and proceeds to address building considerations, commercial status, and implementation issues. The authors discuss some of the benefits of this "low cost alternative for building highly insulating walls" and consider some of the common concerns such as financing and public acceptance. A variety of resources for anyone interested in building with straw bales are provided and anyone who already has built one is invited to join the international Straw Bale Registry. [VF]
The edtechnot.com, as a place “where educational technologists come to think,” gives the public a chance to explore the issues relating to education and technology. The website, created by Forde Multimedia Consulting, encourages debate on “the merits and pitfalls of using educational technology in real schools.” Articles from several experts or “mavens” such as Bonnie Bracey, Larry Cuban, Jamie McKenzie, Alan November, and Seymour Papert are posted here to frame the debate. The site regularly features sections on guest articles, educational blogs, selected websites, and monthly updates “from the front line.” [VF]
Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) is a charity organization based in the UK “using technology to change the world.” Starting with the people of poor communities, the group works to develop appropriate technologies. Its goal is to provide long-term, appropriate and practical answers, whether those tools are simple or sophisticated. The organization's work focuses on four key areas, each of which are described on its website along with specific project descriptions, case studies, research findings, “people stories,” and a few video clips. Visitors to the website can also learn more about the group's work in various countries by clicking on an interactive map. Teaching resources and ways to get involved in its program or similar projects are also posted. [VF]
http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/04/09/ap_091604.asp
This article, from Technology Review, discusses the ways supercomputers are employed in the prediction of a hurricane's likely course and strength. The supercomputers are capable of resolving "complex mathematical equations that describe the atmosphere's behavior across the globe, hundreds of microprocessors perform billions of calculations each second on observations collected by sensors dropped by aircraft and other monitors." However, the article also notes that these predictions are still imperfect. The author concludes with a discussion of some reasons why the predictions are particularly challenging and reviews the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration's plans for "a new higher resolution model that better addresses the interaction of the sea, land and atmosphere." [VF]
Sponsored by the Columbia University Computer Music Center and the Digital Media Center of Columbia University's School of the Arts, ArtBots is "an international art exhibition for robotic art and art-making robots." The annual event invites artists from around the world to enter their robots based on the broad guidelines: "if you think it's a robot and you think it's art, we encourage you to submit." The Participants section includes a photo, description (including some interpretive analysis) and website link for each of the ArtBot 2004 participants. Some sample entries include a robot that draws, one that picks up balls and a "robotic sculpture built around a section of tree trunk." The website even offers a sample of the Theme Song from the show. [VF]
The British National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) hosts the Ingenious website, which "brings together images and viewpoints to create insights into science and culture." Visitors can read articles covering over 30 topics, including travelling, communication, and the environment. The entries are organized so you can explore topics further. For example, the section on Understanding our World includes a discussion of "the beauty and utility of maths," which then leads to three other articles on mathematics. The image or "See" section, which includes over 30,000 images from the Science Museum, the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, the National Railway Museum, the Science & Society Picture Library and the Science Museum Library, can be searched or browsed by topic area. By completing the free registration form, you can join in the Debate on questions such as "Has technology given us a home life filled with opportunities?" Registered users can also go to the Create section to set up personalized links, saved images, e-cards, and web galleries. [VF]
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/
Making the Modern World offers a dynamic rendition of the permanent gallery at the Science Museum in London. The "learning modules" are "packed with demonstrations, activities and rich media experiences" and "designed for use by everyone interested in learning more about the evolution of the modern world." Topics include how to engineer DNA, how the world's most famous bridges were built, and war technology. The Stories Timeline section provides a timeline of stories about inventions to "show how our lives are shaped by the things we make, invent and use." Articles are embedded within the timeline for further exploration of the topics. Another section highlights some of the Icons of Invention, such as the home computer and the Apollo 10 command module. The Everyday Life section explores how "technology is woven through our daily lives at home, at work or at play." Finally, the Guided Tours chronologically follows a particular topic, such as women in science and technology. All of the sections include photographs and are easy to navigate. [VF]
