http://www.cancer.gov/

Established by the National Cancer Act of 1937, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is one of the preeminent cancer research centers in the world. Over the past seventy years, their work has helped advance human understanding of human physiology, genetics, and cell biology, along with supporting the research efforts of at least twenty Nobel Prize winners. On their homepage, visitors can learn more about the various types of cancer, view their latest NCI Cancer Bulletin, and also read through the "NCI Highlights" section. Along the left-hand side of the homepage, the "Quick Links" area includes a link to their dictionary of cancer terms, the NCI drug dictionary, and information about funding opportunities. Further down on the homepage, there is a handy "Cancer Topics" section which includes fact sheets on "What is Cancer?", "Coping with Cancer", and "Smoking and Cancer". Overall, this site is very well-organized and accessible to both the general public and scholars. [KMG]

http://www.speciesexplorer.org/

Among other things, the Internet is a great way to bring together geographically distant pieces of information and observations. The Species Explorer website does just that, by allowing visitors to contribute their observations of wildlife via their computer or mobile phone quickly and simply. The goals of Species Explorer are diverse and they include the idea that it is important "to encourage the level of 'citizen science' in the general public" and "to provide a platform for parent-child learning." After reading a bit of background about the project, visitors can continue on to the "Components" area to learn exactly what they will need to participate. After registering, visitors can also explore the existing observations via the Species Explorer Online application. It's a remarkable site and a remarkable idea, and one that will hopefully spur others to participate and maybe even to create new innovations in a similar vein. [KMG]

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/bats/bats.htm

Bats tend to get a bad rap, in no small part due to their bizarre depictions in everything from cartoons to horror movies. They are, of course, tremendously helpful to humans as they consume tremendous numbers of insects and they also have remarkable echolocation abilities. This introduction to the real life and world of bats was created by the Fish and Wildlife Service and it dispels a number of myths and misconceptions, along with providing high-quality information about bat biology, hibernation and migration, and the reasons for their decline. From the homepage, visitors can click on the "Common Myths and Misconceptions" area and then learn a bit more about the endangered bat species which reside in the United States. After that, visitors can click on through to the "Bat Biology" area which features some more facts about these mammals. One can imagine that this site would fit in perfectly with a biology or zoology course, and it might even spur a new interest among young and old. [KMG]

http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/nukes/

The people at American RadioWorks don't shy away from difficult or controversial topics, and one of their latest documentaries takes on the rather touchy subject of the modern nuclear marketplace. On the site dedicated to the documentary, visitors can listen to the entire program, and even follow along with a transcript. While many still imagine this marketplace run by terrorists attempting to move nuclear bombs and devices across the world, this portrait is actually inaccurate. Among the many interesting and revealing aspects of this documentary is the fact that much of the nuclear bomb business now conducted by those rather white-collar in orientation. The site also includes a number of short essays on the nuclear power renaissance and the American Atoms for Peace program. The documentary is fascinating, and it could be effectively used in a political science or international relations course. [KMG]

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/structure04/activities/3872.html

A great deal can be learned by observing a sand box, and this delightful instructional resource offers ample proof. This resource was developed by Betsy D. Torrez of Sam Houston State University and it is designed to help students use sandbox models "to investigate the characteristics of normal faults and parameters that influence their development." The resource is intended for use by students in structural geology, and the site includes an overview of the context in which the activity should be used, along with a complete set of notes for instructors. Finally, the site also includes several student handouts and a list of supporting materials and references. [KMG]

http://www.library.yale.edu/div/Nanking/

In December 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Nanking in China and what transpired over the following six weeks became known as the Nanking Massacre. Many people have offered their accounts of what happened during this period, and this particular collection from the Yale Divinity School Library offers the perspectives recorded by a number of Westerners who remained in Nanking after the Japanese invasion. For the most part, these Westerners were businessmen and missionaries and their letters and photographs are available on this site. Visitors can click on their names as they wish or also look through the "Documents" list to peruse each document at their leisure. Additionally, the site also includes several dozen photographs which document everything from refugee camps to military parades. [KMG]

http://www.arabmediasociety.com/

What's going on in the Arab world and media you might ask? It's an immensely interesting subject, and one that is tackled with persistence, aplomb, and timeliness by the staff members at the Arab Media & Society website. The website was created by a working partnership between the American University in Cairo's Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Training and Research and The Middle East Centre at Oxford. It is a bold mission, and their primary intent is to cover not just television but "all forms of media, and their interaction with society-at-large, from politics and business to culture and religion, as well as the way in which Arab media change resonates in the broader Muslin world." Visitors can view recent articles and posts by topic along the left-hand side of the site and also view featured articles that cover everything from insurgent video propaganda to an exploration of the BBC Arabic satellite channel. Additionally, visitors can view videos clips and listen to a number of audio selections. For anyone with an interest in journalism in the Arab world, this site will be simply invaluable. [KMG]

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research.aspx

British Museum staff members are constantly engaged in research projects from fieldwork to cataloguing and scientific investigation, and this site provides insight and access to a wealth of information about these endeavors. First-time visitors to the site should glance on over to the left-hand side of the homepage, where they will find sections like "Research Projects", "Publications", "Libraries and archives", and "Research News". It's probably best to look at the "Research News" area first, as it offers a nice portrait of some of the Museum's primary projects. Recent topics covered here include their collaborative work with the Smithsonian Institution on examining crystal skulls and research trips to the Arctic. Moving on, visitors can then make their way to the "Publications" area which includes full-text versions of works like "Albrecht Dürer and his Legacy" and "Cleaning and Controversy: The Parthenon Sculptures 1811-1939". Lastly, visitors can also use the embedded search engine to make their way through over 250,000 objects. [KMG]