Webwatch

Mysterious designs
http://plus.maths.org/issue38/features/nishiyama/
WHAT is so unusual about the number 6,174? At first sight, it seems like just another ordinary number but if you go through the content of this website you will discover that it is a really mysterious figure. The website goes to great lengths to explain how 6,174 is the number which turns up every time you apply certain formulae. Of course, some of the details are quite complicated, but if you are a number buff, you’ll have a great time here.

Exploration galore
http://www.exploretheabyss.com/
WHETHER oceanography is your domain or a general interest, this website is sure to keep you occupied. It basically features loads of photo galleries containing illustrations from the oceanic and deep sea life in New Zealand. There is a separate section which is dedicated to ocean expeditions as well.

Where’s the chemistry?
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff.html
HAVE you ever wondered why margarine melts if you put it in a hot frying pan? Or why do plastic bags remain intact even when you put everything imaginable inside them? Yes, all these and more interesting details are covered on this website which basically covers chemistry in our daily lives. Hence, you can see exactly how the principles of chemistry apply to all of us, whether we are at home or at the supermarket.