This week's In the News section deals with the Year of the Ocean. The six sites discussed provide information of various types about, and related to this topic. The United Nations declared 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean to bring attention to the "importance of the marine environment."

Users can read the full text of this new collection of essays from the Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council and the National Academy Press (NAP) online for free at the NAP site (reviewed in the February 26, 1999 Scout Report). The 276-page book (published in 2000) features a collection of essays on the development of ocean sciences at the National Science Foundation organized in...

This Web site is the online companion to the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). The Educational Resources section provides links to dozens of AMNH activities and articles, mainly geared toward elementary school students. Also, the online guide to the exhibit is itself a terrific educational resource. For example, the Dioramas section offers great graphics...

Story maps offer viewers a highly visual medium that incorporates text, multimedia, and (of course) maps into their narratives. Here, the GIS software giant Esri has curated a collection of approximately fifty stellar story maps related to ocean science and ocean conservation that are sure to provide interested visitors with an informative and engaging experience. As Esri explains, these story...

Supported by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office, Trophos is a cooperative Belgian and Dutch project aimed "at a better understanding of the processes structuring the higher trophic levels in the North Sea." The Trophos website includes sections on project Objectives, Background, Activities, Databases, and Partners. The Background section contains a list of relevant publications, and brief...

This Web site is a companion to the Discovery Channel/ BBC television series Blue Planet: Seas of Life. The Web site includes images, games, and expeditions all related to oceanography and marine biology. One feature that is particularly interesting is Ocean Alert, an interactive, current events feature where users can identify the topics that most interest them. News headlines, with links to more...

Cafe Thorium, Ken Buesseler's Radiochemistry Group at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, analyzes "marine samples for both natural and artificial radionuclides." Researchers can find out about the group's success using Neutrally Buoyant Sediment Traps (NBST) to collect particles in the ocean. Visitors can learn about the potential link between iron and glaciation. Students can obtain a...

The Oceanographic Products and Services Division (OPSD) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) "collects, analyzes and distributes historical and real-time observations and predictions of water levels, coastal currents and other meteorological and oceanographic data." This wonderful site explains the science behind the tides and changing water levels, gives historical...

Earthguide is an educational resource for students and teachers developed by the California Space Institute at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of California San Diego. Features include in-depth stories, brief topics, and news -- all related to a variety of oceanic and atmospheric science subjects. The section of links and resources is quite valuable, with a large number of...

Based at the University of California at San Diego, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography has created the Explorations site to educate the public about their projects and research. On their website, visitors will find a trove of multimedia features, magazine articles, and information about conservation activities designed to protect the world's oceans for future generations. Clicking on the...