The Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian "is dedicated to understanding the biological and cultural foundations of human life." Their new site gives visitors an accessible and informative tour of the current state of human paleontology. At the heart of the site is a hypertext family tree of early human phylogeny that helps users see not only the relations between various incarnations of human...

Recently, many interested parties have taken up the debate surrounding intelligent design and the teaching of evolution in public schools. While it can be hard to sort through the vast debates surrounding these issues, the good people at American Radio Works have created this thoughtful and introspective website that explores some of the issues surrounding this important topic. Under the careful...

This site contains several short animated features based on microbiological topics. Although they are informative, the best part about the animations is their entertainment value. Bacterial characters provide their comments on life, an account of evolution from the bacterial perspective, and an understanding of "who" they are and where they live. These movies are a good combination of information...

Humans haven't roamed the earth for long, and our presence on this planet only dates back around 190,000 years. There are approximately 4.3 billion more years of Earth's history to explore, and this interactive and edifying timeline created by National Geographic helps interested persons explore it. First-time visitors can click around within the timeline to read short descriptions of important...

This week's In the News focuses on discoveries that provide support for the theory that deep sea hydrothermal vents may have been the "factories of life" three and half billion years ago when Earth's atmosphere did not consist of any oxygen. A recent article published in Science (February 5, 1999, 283:831-833) discusses how scientists at Nagaoka University created an environment similar to a...

Charles Darwin's contribution to our understanding of science has been called the single best idea anyone ever had. You can read about his ideas, where they originated, and how he supported them in the book that shifted paradigms and continues to stimulate research and debate. The full text is available at this site and is divided into chapters for easy access and reference.

While not offering new publications, this fun and handy resource does provide a glimpse into the possible future of libraries and publishing. literature.org has made available online four definitive volumes by Charles Darwin. These include The Voyage of the Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Origin of Species - 6th Edition, and The Descent of Man.

How do evolutionary biologists and paleontologists loosen up after work? For scientists James Lamsdell, Amanda Falk, and Curtis Congreve, it involves enjoying some beers while engaging in lively, critical discussions of scientific papers - and digressing into pop culture topics such as movies, video games, and music. Palaeo After Dark is bi-weekly podcast covering fossils, evolutionary history,...

The University of California Museum of Paleontology's Web site includes this section on the phylogenetic relationships that connect diverse life forms. The highlight of the site is the online exhibit The Phylogeny of Life, which contains many great images and photos to enhance the text. Without a specific navigational path, visitors can view the information in what ever pattern and level of detail...

Available free from Scientific American's Website, this article takes a thorough and fascinating look at the marine reptiles known as Ichthyosaurs that lived during the Mesozoic Era. The text covers recent discoveries about the evolution of Ichthyosaurs from land dwelling reptiles, including limb adaptations. Highlights of the article are special sections about ichthyosaur eyes and diet, and color...