High achievers
http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/
Of course, when it comes to science and technology, there are many people who can be credited with furthering the field and acting as pioneers of advances in different disciplines. This is one website which pays tribute to some of those people by featuring their detailed profiles. You can read all about the people behind health, medicine and biomedical research, in particular.
Nervous already?
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
If neuroscience is your weak point, this is one website you can use to brush up on your basics. Not only can you learn more about the nervous system in a highly interactive environment, but you can also read about the latest research and breakthroughs in research related to the brain. To clear your concepts, you can ask your own questions on the website’s network.
Pooling the news
http://www.tidepool.org/
Wondering what are the most important environmental issues these days? This website collects news stories from various sources and updates its website daily with the most pressing environmental issues. Though it is a bit restricted geographically, you can still get a lot of information here.
Newton’s apple
http://www.tpt.org/newtons/
Although this website is the homepage of a scientific show on television, it features quite a lot of interesting stuff for geeks. There is a whole collection of do-it-yourself science experiments, with detailed synopses and background information for each episode of the show.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Webwatch
Tune in!
http://www.earthsky.com/
If you don’t much like reading anything online, you can simply tune in to web radio on this website and listen to all things scientific. There are loads of shows to select from and just as many themes. From the listeners’ questions and scientists’ interviews to latest discoveries and role of women scientists, this radio channel ensures that there is something of interest for everyone.
Mastering electricity
http://amasci.com/ele-projs.html
You have a science project coming up and you have run out of ideas. Fret not. This is one website you can go through for some interesting ideas. The project ideas featured here are related to physics, especially electricity. There is also a section on the necessary precautions you must take should you use an idea from this website.
Turtle affair
http://www.turtles.org/
If you are into life sciences, especially marine turtles, here is an interesting website for you. Featured are different species of turtles, news and events related to turtles and a photo gallery. A special section is dedicated to endangered species of turtles and what you can do to help preserve them.
Laughing it off
http://www.aps.org/apsnews/limericks.cfm
Since when do physics and limericks go together? Apparently they do, when a contest demands it. There was a competition held some time ago to find a limerick artist who was also good at physics. The results were hilarious. Read through some of the riotous works submitted as well as the one which won the laurels.
http://www.earthsky.com/
If you don’t much like reading anything online, you can simply tune in to web radio on this website and listen to all things scientific. There are loads of shows to select from and just as many themes. From the listeners’ questions and scientists’ interviews to latest discoveries and role of women scientists, this radio channel ensures that there is something of interest for everyone.
Mastering electricity
http://amasci.com/ele-projs.html
You have a science project coming up and you have run out of ideas. Fret not. This is one website you can go through for some interesting ideas. The project ideas featured here are related to physics, especially electricity. There is also a section on the necessary precautions you must take should you use an idea from this website.
Turtle affair
http://www.turtles.org/
If you are into life sciences, especially marine turtles, here is an interesting website for you. Featured are different species of turtles, news and events related to turtles and a photo gallery. A special section is dedicated to endangered species of turtles and what you can do to help preserve them.
Laughing it off
http://www.aps.org/apsnews/limericks.cfm
Since when do physics and limericks go together? Apparently they do, when a contest demands it. There was a competition held some time ago to find a limerick artist who was also good at physics. The results were hilarious. Read through some of the riotous works submitted as well as the one which won the laurels.
Saturday, March 4, 2006
Webwatch
Say it with laser
http://library.thinkquest.org/C007258/
We have all heard of chemistry but how many of us have heard of femto-chemistry? This website delves deep into the concept, including its origins and current applications. It also explains laser technology, its types, characteristics and applications. You can also solve quizzes and look up similar information on external links.
Anyone up for research?
http://www.scientificmethod.com/
Very few websites give out scientific papers and e-books for free, and The Scientific Method is one of them. The site features the webmaster’s work on the different scientific methods used in research. Various research reports are also available in PDF format.
Hijacked yet?
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/CWShredder/1086547805/1
Did you know that your browser can actually be hijacked by a few cookies which automatically download on your PC when you visit certain websites? These cookies then set your browser’s homepage to annoying search websites. To ensure that it does not happen to you, download and run the software available for free on this website.
Submarine challenge
http://www.hte.com/subrace/
The World Submarine Invitational was held in 1998 in San Diego. Visit this website to check out the amazing submarines which participated and the different interesting events that were held plus, of course, the winners who swept the show.
http://library.thinkquest.org/C007258/
We have all heard of chemistry but how many of us have heard of femto-chemistry? This website delves deep into the concept, including its origins and current applications. It also explains laser technology, its types, characteristics and applications. You can also solve quizzes and look up similar information on external links.
Anyone up for research?
http://www.scientificmethod.com/
Very few websites give out scientific papers and e-books for free, and The Scientific Method is one of them. The site features the webmaster’s work on the different scientific methods used in research. Various research reports are also available in PDF format.
Hijacked yet?
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/CWShredder/1086547805/1
Did you know that your browser can actually be hijacked by a few cookies which automatically download on your PC when you visit certain websites? These cookies then set your browser’s homepage to annoying search websites. To ensure that it does not happen to you, download and run the software available for free on this website.
Submarine challenge
http://www.hte.com/subrace/
The World Submarine Invitational was held in 1998 in San Diego. Visit this website to check out the amazing submarines which participated and the different interesting events that were held plus, of course, the winners who swept the show.
Adding to the cyber voice
Consider this scenario: there is going to be protest for a certain cause at your university, and you desperately want to go and add your voice to it. But your parents forbid you to do so citing that you are too young to be involved in politics. They also feel that going to a demonstration may not be safe. You think it is highly unfair but you have to listen to your parents too. So what do you do next? Do you sit around and mope? Or do you take your protest to the cyberspace?
Yes, the cyberspace is increasingly serving as an alternative means to further one’s cause, be it political, social, economical or ideological. You can now add your voice of dissent to the real-life happenings, and of course, to build up public opinion. All such and more activities, irrespective of whether they are carried out by an individual or an organisation amount to the phenomenon known as cyber activism.
There are many different means used by cyber activists to air their opinion and to further their cause. The most popular means is of course online petitions. These petitions are carefully written with facts and analysis in place. The link of the petition is then sent out and people who agree with the conclusions of the petition add their name. After a certain number of signatures have been put, the petition is then sent to the concerned higher authority to inform them of the public opinion on the issue.
On the outset, petitions do seem to be an effective, yet harmless way of putting one’s viewpoint across. On the one hand, people, who otherwise do not want to read through news stories on a daily basis, get all the facts related to one issue as they are presented in the petition. Plus, there is no pressure of any sort. If you feel strongly about the issue, put your signature and forward the link to your friends, And if not, simply delete the forwarded email you have received.
Yet, petitions have been criticised as well. The major issue most people have with petitions is that they dupe all petitioners into a false sense of achievement. It is true that many cyber activists feel that now that they have put one signature on a piece of virtual document, their responsibility to come out and do something more to further a worthy cause is effectively over. There is also the issue of how far do these online petitions represent public opinion. After all, if a website does not have stringent checks on IP addresses of the petitioners, it is possible that one person signs the petition 10 times with 10 different email addresses, affecting the overall validity and, hence, effectiveness of the petition.
However, that is not to say that signing a petition is an exercise in futility. Petition Online http://www.petitiononline.com and Petition Spot http://www. petitionspot.com are two websites which host lots of petitions on worthy causes, some of which truly deserve to be read and signed. Of course, there are petitions on the most mundane and sometimes, obscene issues, but the best course of action is to ignore them and stick to one’s cause.
The most important thing is to make sure the petitions reach its intended recipient(s). The Petition Online’s website suggests that the writer/initiator of the petition must either email the URL of the petition to the intended recipient or print out all the signatures along with the text of the petition and snail mail it. The idea is that the decision makers at the highest level get to know what the people are thinking, and you, as a tech-savvy person, can make it possible through the internet.
Participating in online polls is also a common, yet highly controversial exercise in online activism. Almost every news and publications’ website carries a poll asking its viewers/readers to vote on a certain issue. While polls certainly give some measure of public opinion, the fact which casts the ultimate doubts on its credibility is the ability of the website itself to screen out multiple votes by the same version. This is precisely why certain websites have the disclaimer that these polls are not a scientific means to measure anything. At best, they probably give the publication some measure of what the public in general is thinking. Participating in polls is definitely a good option, but it must not be taken as the only option.
A more useful, yet convenient means to online activism is available in the form of blogs. Blogs can be cause-oriented, collecting news stories and feature articles on a single issue and providing an in-depth analysis and commentary by the blogger. Now blogs as a stand-alone entity may not amount to much, but if the link of the blog is added to various useful websites, it will definitely become a much-read webpage and will definitely ensure that people read and identify with the issue.
And this is where open encyclopedias like Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org) come in. These encyclopedias can be edited by just about anyone as long as you have registered and are sticking to their rules. These encyclopedias can be a really very effective means of putting one’s point across. Not only can you write on issues which have not been covered yet, but you can also add another dimension to the ones that have been put up.
For instance, there is an extensive article on Wikipedia on the cartoon controversy. If you think that the article is heavily biased, you can always add a link or two to some of the more balanced articles. You can also add a few lines about how the issue has been taken up in your country and how are people reacting to it. The same goes for all the other issues.
Yet another effective means of cyber activism is to send letters to the editor of international newspapers. Every publication, whether national or international, likes to receive feedback and thanks to the internet, it is not really a difficult task to get one’s hands on the official websites of some of these international newspapers and magazines and send them a letter regarding an issue.
A new concept in online activism has also emerged with our local newspapers. There is now a section in most of the websites of our national newspapers dedicated to “Viewers’ Forum” or “Letters to the Net Editor.” Every week or month, a question is put to the people concerning a recent political issue and concerned persons can write a letter, mail it and get it published on the website. This is yet another easy, yet effective way of getting one’s point across.
In short, the opportunities are endless. Just because you are not allowed to participate in a demonstration does not mean that you spend the rest of your life simply whining about it. If you have an internet connection, and a spirit to add your voice to a worthy cause, you can take up any of the aforementioned routes and become a part of the global phenomenon known as cyber-activism.
Yes, the cyberspace is increasingly serving as an alternative means to further one’s cause, be it political, social, economical or ideological. You can now add your voice of dissent to the real-life happenings, and of course, to build up public opinion. All such and more activities, irrespective of whether they are carried out by an individual or an organisation amount to the phenomenon known as cyber activism.
There are many different means used by cyber activists to air their opinion and to further their cause. The most popular means is of course online petitions. These petitions are carefully written with facts and analysis in place. The link of the petition is then sent out and people who agree with the conclusions of the petition add their name. After a certain number of signatures have been put, the petition is then sent to the concerned higher authority to inform them of the public opinion on the issue.
On the outset, petitions do seem to be an effective, yet harmless way of putting one’s viewpoint across. On the one hand, people, who otherwise do not want to read through news stories on a daily basis, get all the facts related to one issue as they are presented in the petition. Plus, there is no pressure of any sort. If you feel strongly about the issue, put your signature and forward the link to your friends, And if not, simply delete the forwarded email you have received.
Yet, petitions have been criticised as well. The major issue most people have with petitions is that they dupe all petitioners into a false sense of achievement. It is true that many cyber activists feel that now that they have put one signature on a piece of virtual document, their responsibility to come out and do something more to further a worthy cause is effectively over. There is also the issue of how far do these online petitions represent public opinion. After all, if a website does not have stringent checks on IP addresses of the petitioners, it is possible that one person signs the petition 10 times with 10 different email addresses, affecting the overall validity and, hence, effectiveness of the petition.
However, that is not to say that signing a petition is an exercise in futility. Petition Online http://www.petitiononline.com and Petition Spot http://www. petitionspot.com are two websites which host lots of petitions on worthy causes, some of which truly deserve to be read and signed. Of course, there are petitions on the most mundane and sometimes, obscene issues, but the best course of action is to ignore them and stick to one’s cause.
The most important thing is to make sure the petitions reach its intended recipient(s). The Petition Online’s website suggests that the writer/initiator of the petition must either email the URL of the petition to the intended recipient or print out all the signatures along with the text of the petition and snail mail it. The idea is that the decision makers at the highest level get to know what the people are thinking, and you, as a tech-savvy person, can make it possible through the internet.
Participating in online polls is also a common, yet highly controversial exercise in online activism. Almost every news and publications’ website carries a poll asking its viewers/readers to vote on a certain issue. While polls certainly give some measure of public opinion, the fact which casts the ultimate doubts on its credibility is the ability of the website itself to screen out multiple votes by the same version. This is precisely why certain websites have the disclaimer that these polls are not a scientific means to measure anything. At best, they probably give the publication some measure of what the public in general is thinking. Participating in polls is definitely a good option, but it must not be taken as the only option.
A more useful, yet convenient means to online activism is available in the form of blogs. Blogs can be cause-oriented, collecting news stories and feature articles on a single issue and providing an in-depth analysis and commentary by the blogger. Now blogs as a stand-alone entity may not amount to much, but if the link of the blog is added to various useful websites, it will definitely become a much-read webpage and will definitely ensure that people read and identify with the issue.
And this is where open encyclopedias like Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org) come in. These encyclopedias can be edited by just about anyone as long as you have registered and are sticking to their rules. These encyclopedias can be a really very effective means of putting one’s point across. Not only can you write on issues which have not been covered yet, but you can also add another dimension to the ones that have been put up.
For instance, there is an extensive article on Wikipedia on the cartoon controversy. If you think that the article is heavily biased, you can always add a link or two to some of the more balanced articles. You can also add a few lines about how the issue has been taken up in your country and how are people reacting to it. The same goes for all the other issues.
Yet another effective means of cyber activism is to send letters to the editor of international newspapers. Every publication, whether national or international, likes to receive feedback and thanks to the internet, it is not really a difficult task to get one’s hands on the official websites of some of these international newspapers and magazines and send them a letter regarding an issue.
A new concept in online activism has also emerged with our local newspapers. There is now a section in most of the websites of our national newspapers dedicated to “Viewers’ Forum” or “Letters to the Net Editor.” Every week or month, a question is put to the people concerning a recent political issue and concerned persons can write a letter, mail it and get it published on the website. This is yet another easy, yet effective way of getting one’s point across.
In short, the opportunities are endless. Just because you are not allowed to participate in a demonstration does not mean that you spend the rest of your life simply whining about it. If you have an internet connection, and a spirit to add your voice to a worthy cause, you can take up any of the aforementioned routes and become a part of the global phenomenon known as cyber-activism.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Webwatch
Securing the bits
http://www.bitdefender.com
Do you think that conventional anti-virus software, like Norton and McAfee, make tall claims but never come up to expectations? Bit Defender has a free edition you can easily download and scan your PC with. There are various other tools and fixes as well. So if you have a good idea about the specific virus or worm infecting your PC, you can download the very tool which will take care of it.
What are they saying?
http://www.edge.org/edge_video.html
If you like listening to scientific lectures, this website is for you. It features talks and lectures on selected topics by a few well-known scientists. Loads of interesting topics, dealing with the universe, genomics, heuristics, globalization and physicists, are featured. Unfortunately, there is no download link. So you will just have to listen to the lectures online.
http://www.bitdefender.com
Do you think that conventional anti-virus software, like Norton and McAfee, make tall claims but never come up to expectations? Bit Defender has a free edition you can easily download and scan your PC with. There are various other tools and fixes as well. So if you have a good idea about the specific virus or worm infecting your PC, you can download the very tool which will take care of it.
What are they saying?
http://www.edge.org/edge_video.html
If you like listening to scientific lectures, this website is for you. It features talks and lectures on selected topics by a few well-known scientists. Loads of interesting topics, dealing with the universe, genomics, heuristics, globalization and physicists, are featured. Unfortunately, there is no download link. So you will just have to listen to the lectures online.
Science project
http://amasci.com/amateur/dscope.html
If you have a science project coming up, the recipe for making a disgust-o-scope may be just the thing for you. This website features the detailed history of the instrument and how it is made. All you need are mirrors. However, it is a bit complicated, so students should make sure that they go ahead with the project only under the supervision of a science teacher.
Photos featured
http://puzphotos.blogspot.com/
Although this blog has not been updated since 2004, you can still have some fun with the entries that are there. The blogger has posted photos featuring anything and everything relevant to scientific tools and instruments. If you fancy yourself as a science geek, see how many of these 50 or so questions you can answer correctly.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Webwatch
Her story
http://library.thinkquest.org/20117/
There is no dearth of people who like to believe that science is a man’s domain. This website will definitely give them some food for thought. Featured are long biographies and interviews of women who have contributed greatly to science. You can enter your future plans if you are an aspiring woman scientist and connect with some of the women who have already done some work in your chosen field.
Jargon out!
http://www.scienceforpeople.com/
Do you also feel that technical jargon can make essays on scientific discoveries a bit too tedious to read? This website is the work of an individual who goes through scientific journals and rewrites the essays in an easy language (sans jargon) so that people without a scientific background may easily read and understand scientific research and its implications. Does it get any better?
Stuck in a jam?
http://www.amasci.com/amateur/traffic/traffic1.html
The traffic situation, especially in Pakistan, is a nightmare. However, as an individual driver you can read through the simple rules of physics which cause traffic jams. Check out this website which provides details and also presents animations and various illustrations to go with the information.
It’s all about ’how’
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/sectionarchive/how20’
Want to delve deeper into the workings of scientific phenomena in our daily lives? Check out the ‘how’ archives on this website, which presents information in the form of questions and answers. Whichever branch of science and technology you want to look up and explore, this website is likely to help you out.
http://library.thinkquest.org/20117/
There is no dearth of people who like to believe that science is a man’s domain. This website will definitely give them some food for thought. Featured are long biographies and interviews of women who have contributed greatly to science. You can enter your future plans if you are an aspiring woman scientist and connect with some of the women who have already done some work in your chosen field.
Jargon out!
http://www.scienceforpeople.com/
Do you also feel that technical jargon can make essays on scientific discoveries a bit too tedious to read? This website is the work of an individual who goes through scientific journals and rewrites the essays in an easy language (sans jargon) so that people without a scientific background may easily read and understand scientific research and its implications. Does it get any better?
Stuck in a jam?
http://www.amasci.com/amateur/traffic/traffic1.html
The traffic situation, especially in Pakistan, is a nightmare. However, as an individual driver you can read through the simple rules of physics which cause traffic jams. Check out this website which provides details and also presents animations and various illustrations to go with the information.
It’s all about ’how’
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/sectionarchive/how20’
Want to delve deeper into the workings of scientific phenomena in our daily lives? Check out the ‘how’ archives on this website, which presents information in the form of questions and answers. Whichever branch of science and technology you want to look up and explore, this website is likely to help you out.
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