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martin
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Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com

--- Begin Message ---

• From: "Stephanie Bianchi" <sbianchi AT nsf.gov>
• To: "Sci-Tech Library Newsletter" <sci-tech_lib_news AT lists.nsf.gov>
• Subject: Sci-Tech Library Newsletter 8/19/05
• Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 15:45:36 -0400

Sci-Tech Library Newsletter
08/19/05


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NOTE: If you are not already receiving the Newsletter by e-mail, and would
like to, contact sbianchi AT nsf.gov PLEASE STATE WHETHER YOU PREFER THE FULL
NEWSLETTER OR JUST THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.
This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/swain/nsflibnews/
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/scitechnews/



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CONFERENCE PAPER FEDERATED SEARCH ENGINE Looking for conference papers?
OSTI provides one-stop shopping ...
SCIENCE POLICY
AROUND DC AND ON THE NET
NEW E-BOOKS, REPORTS AND E-JOURNALS
INTERESTING WEBSITES AND NEWS FROM THE INTERNET 125 Questions: What
Don't We Know? , The Art of Science Competition , NSF Special Reports ,
NOVA Science Now , New PubMed Training Materials , Biological Sciences:
The Scopes Monkey Trial 80 Years Later , Wood's Hole Harmful Algae Page ,
HHMI Virtual Museum , NOVA: "Deep Sea Invasion , Understanding Genetics
, Chickscope , Conservation Central , Charles Darwin in His Own Words ,
Engineering: Bike Science , Geosciences: What's Up With the Weather? ,
Africa to Atlantic: Dust to Dust , The Voyage of Discovery Continues: A
Satellite View of the Journey of Lewis and Clark , Mathematical and
Physical Sciences: 10th Planet , BBC Space Gallery , The Learning Wave
, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) , Three Lectures by Hans Bethe ,
BBC - Space - Life? , The Launch of Google Moon , NOVA - Mars, Dead or
Alive? , Pickle Lab - The Chemistry of Pickles , Social, Behavioral and
Economic Sciences: Interview with Claude M. Steele , Eco5.com , Haka ,
Traditions of the Sun , Pew Global Attitudes Project , Cycles: African
Life Through Art ...and more... plus news items from Edupage
INTER ALIA How industry artfully changes landscapes ...

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CONFERENCE PAPER FEDERATED SEARCH ENGINE
Science Conferences
http://www.osti.gov/scienceconferences/advanced.html


The OSTI Science Conferences portal was devised to expedite access to
conference papers and proceedings in various fields of science and
technology. Emphasis is on U.S. conferences hosted and/or published by
scientific and professional organizations whose areas of focus relate
substantially to the Department of Energy's mission. This portal provides
the capability to search for conference information on multiple web sites
and databases with a single query utilizing a combination of surface web
and deep web tools (specifically Distributed Explorit from Deep Web
Technologies) that can reach where ordinary search engines cannot.
Features include:

A simple search capability. Enter the text you want to search for, check
the sources you want to query, and click the "Search" button.
An advanced search capability supporting searches on author, title, and
date-ranges, as well as full-text of proceedings (where available). Enter
the text you want to search for in the appropriate box, check the sources
you want to query, and click the "Search" button. You may search one
source, a group of sources of your choice, or all sources at once.
An option to display results by ranking or by source. The display by
relevance ranking is the default. If you would like to display results by
source, click on the "See Results by Source" button.
Sources indexed include:
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
American Chemical Society (ACS)
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
American Meteorological Society (AMS)
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Energy Citations Database (ECD)
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)
National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC)
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC)
OSTI does it again!

SCIENCE POLICY
STEM Education Takes Cuts
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_07_05_legupdate.htm


The Senate Appropriations Committee cut funding for K-12 Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs at the National Science
Foundation (NSF), while a House panel establishes a National Science Board
commission to improve science education.. (From NSTA)

US Competitiveness - the Innovation Challenge
http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/reports/InnovationHearing0705.pdf

HOUSE SCIENCE HEARING: INNOVATION MUST BE PRIORITY OR U.S. WILL CEDE ITS
POSITION AS GLOBAL LEADER.
Witnesses testifying at a House Science Committee hearing - US
Competitiveness:The Innovation Challenge - last week warned that the
changing dynamics of the global economy are threatening America's economic
position and innovation is crucial to the nation's future economic growth.
IEEE-USA staffer Vin O'Neill created a summary of the hearing and the
recommendations of each witness. (From IEEE Eye on Congress)

WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES FY 07 R&D BUDGET PRIORITIES
http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/eyeonwashington/2005/05eow15.asp#whitehouse

"We're barely halfway to finishing a budget for FY 2006 and already the
White House is laying out priorities for FY 2007, the budget that the
President will present to Congress in just 7 months. On 8 July, Office of
Science and Technology Policy Director John Marburger and Office of
Management and Budget Director Joshua Bolten laid out the Administration's
research and development priorities for FY 2007. The guidance states that
interagency R&D priorities should receive attention in agencies' budget
requests. Among the highest priority inter-agency R&D initiatives are
homeland security, high-end computing and net-working, National
Nanotechnology Initiative, priorities in the physical sciences,
understanding complex biological systems, and energy and the environment."
(From IEEE Eye on Washington)

DoD Proposes Changes in Restrictions on Foreign Researchers
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-13305.htm


The U.S. Department of Defense recently proposed new restrictions on
foreign researchers' access to sensitive technology and related
information. These changes would apply only to research activities carried
out under government contracts. The proposal includes such things as
unique badging requirements for foreign nationals and foreign persons,
segregated work areas for export-controlled information and technology,
and initial and periodic training on export compliance controls for those
employees with access to export-controlled information and technology. The
department is accepting public comments on the proposal until September
12, 2005. (From ACM Washington Update)

15 Leading Business Groups Launch Action Plan To Improve Science and Math
Education
http://www.businessroundtable.org/pdf/20050727002TAPStatement.pdf

Call for Doubling of STEM Graduates in 10 Years

"15 major business groups representing business of every size and from
every sector of the economy­led by the CEO members of the Business
Roundtable­last week called for doubling the number of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates by the year 2015
and issued an action plan to do this by:

Launching an awareness campaign to make improvements in STEM fields a
national priority;
Motivating students and adults to study and enter careers in these
disciplines;
Upgrading elementary and secondary teaching in math and science;
Reforming visa and immigration policies to enable the U.S. to attract and
retain top STEM students;
and Boosting and sustaining funding for basic research.
In a press statement Business Roundtable President John Castellani says
the business community would "take the lead in building public awareness
and support for greater interest, investment, and performance in science,
technology, engineering, and math by:
Expanding the successful State Scholars program that encourages students
to take rigorous courses in high school;
Offering more opportunities for company employees to serve as role models
and mentors in these fields;
Providing teachers with materials that will show students the importance
of math and science in a wide range of careers;
Funding scholarships for students and professional development for math
and science teachers;
Working with education groups, the media, and the entertainment industry
on messages showing how math and science learning leads to a wide range of
interesting careers;
Meeting with and lobbying Governors and Members of Congress to carry out
the report's recommendations."
>From NSTA.

House Committee Okays Science/Math Initiative as Part of Higher Education
Act
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_07_25_legupdate.htm

The House Education and Workforce Committee passed an amendment to the
Higher Education Act (HEA) that will create a new scholarship program for
STEM graduates, provide loan forgiveness to science and math teachers, and
supply grants to create state-based councils, which will focus on K-12
science and math education. (From NSTA)

The roles of codes of conduct in preventing the misuse of scientific
research
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/document.asp?tip=0&id=3215

A new paper outlines the Royal Society's position on the roles of codes of
conduct in preventing the misuse of scientific research, building on the
Society's previous publications on the subject. This paper also discusses
methods that complement codes of conduct in preventing the misuse of
science, including training and the extension of existing regulations.The
key points made in this paper are as follows.

Codes of conduct can help to reduce misuse of science research.
The process of producing codes raises awareness amongst the target group
and fosters discussion on the potential for misuse.
Having a code provides a valuable educational tool for students and
employees.
The process of defining the code should include extensive consultation
with the target groups to ensure that it is workable; it should also
increase the number of individuals aware of the issues of concern.
It is extremely difficult to list the guiding principles that underpin all
scientific work without producing bland and generic statements.
There are clear benefits in producing more detailed codes of practice or
conduct that concentrate on a specific area of the life sciences and
target audience.
Many valuable guidelines and principles for the professional conduct of
scientists already exist at organisational, national and international
level.
Introducing extended codes of conduct or practice based on existing health
and safety regulations will provide an opportunity for education and
training to reinforce these regulations.

Energy Bill into Law
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/stc/index.shtml#Energy

The Nation has 1,725 pages of a new energy policy, although it does not
include many Senate provisions on greenhouse gas reductions or renewable
mandates. It was signed into law on August 8 after passing both houses by
a wide margin. (From AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Congress)

Climate Change Hearings
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/stc/index.shtml#climate1
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/stc/index.shtml#climate2

Two hearings were held in the Senate that featured scientists testifying
that climate change is occurring. The inaugural hearing of the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Global Climate
Change and Impacts took place on July 20. The Senate Energy and Commerce
Committee held a hearing promised during the debate on greenhouse gas
provisions in the Energy Bill on July 21. Both were notable for the shift
in focus from if climate change is occurring to how to mitigate it. (From
AAAS Center for Science, Technology, and Congress)

Controversy on Barton Letters on Climate Change
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Letters/06232005_1570.htm
http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/docs/05-7-13_climatebarton.pdf
Union of Concerned Scientists
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/global_warming/page.cfm?pageID=1816

Science Friday
http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2005/Jul/hour1_072205.html
National Academy of Sciences
http://www.geo.umass.edu/climate/cicerone-letter.pdf
Article in The Scientist
http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20050722/01
AIP
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2005/112.html
BBC Commentary
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4693855.stm
Talk of the Nation
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4766641
ES&T
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2005/jul/policy/pt_congress.html


Last month, Representative Joe Barton of Texas, Chair of the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent a letter to several climate
scientists demanding copies of raw data used in their studies. Here are
the text of the letters along with articles and statements on the
controversy spurred by these letters.

AROUND DC AND ON THE NET
100 Years of Physics - Webcast August 5, 11, 19 2:00 pm PDT
http://www.exploratorium.edu/nobel/webcasts.html


In this three-part series, senior scientist Paul Dougherty celebrates
great advancements in science. Each show will investigate one of
Einstein's great discoveries. (20 min.) Albert Einstein was awarded the
Nobel Prize based on three papers that shook the world of physics and
spawned a completely new understanding of how the world works. In each of
these Webcasts, Exploratorium Staff Scientist Paul Doherty will explain
Einstein's key discoveries and their impacts on our views of science,
reality, and the universe.

August 5, 2005 2:00 p.m. PDT
The Existence of Atoms Using a simple ball-bearing model, Paul will
demonstrate Brownian Motion and explain how it proved the existence of
atoms.
August 11, 2005 2:00 p.m. PDT
Inventing Photons Paul will take us through the Photoelectric Effect and
the "invention" of photons.
August 19, 2005 2:00 p.m. PDT
Creating Space-Time The concept of Space-Time -perhaps Einstein's most
fundamental contribution to our understanding of the universe-will be
explored using special red lasers.
Webcast links will be active on the day of the program and for archived
programs after webcast date.

Assessing Interactions Among Social, Behavioral, and Genetic Factors in
Health
http://www.iom.edu/event.asp?id=28966

Thursday, September 29 The National Academies' Keck Center 500 Fifth St.,
N.W., Washington, D.C.

The Nobel Prize Lectures - The Exploratorium
http://www.exploratorium.edu/nobel/publicprograms.html

You may not have been able to attend the Exploratorium's lectures on the
Nobel Prize, but you can listen to some of them at this website.

Tuesday, June 14, Nobel Lecture Series: Behind the Scenes: Awarding the
Nobel Prize with Anders Bárány
Tuesday, June 28, From Special Relativity to String Theory: How Einstein
Turned Physics into a Search for Symmetry with K. C. Cole

Migratory Narratives: Why Some Stories Replicate Across Media, Cultures,
Historical Eras
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/281/

"By still having myths, explaining ourselves in terms of myths we make
about ourselves, we have far more in common with so-called primitive
ancestors separated by time and space, but we all use media at hand to
tell theses enduring migratory narratives." ­ Richard Howells

True stories and their fictional spin-offs -- especially bloody ones --
occupy an enduring spot in western culture. Thomas Pettitt's specialty,
the "murdered sweetheart" tale, emerged from medieval times to seize hold
of the public imagination in England and Scandinavia over several
centuries. The story, involving a seduced girl, her murder by a lover, and
the lover's death, stems from some long-lost actual case. Publishers
cranked out ballads based on this story, with helpfully lurid woodcut
illustrations. In this "highly successful genre," says Pettitt, "marketing
strategies" distilled the "shocking and juicy story" down to the bare
bones. "I sometimes wonder if the weapon of choice was a knife because it
rhymes conveniently with wife," muses Pettitt.

The sinking of the Titanic sparked a media frenzy all too familiar these
days: reporters rowed out to meet survivors, so they could wire their
newspapers first. Richard Howells takes stock of this tragedy and its
media manipulation over time. First the Edwardians "celebrated the
heroism, triumph, Anglo-Saxon pluck and courage" of the voyagers, with
newsreels (including one a month after the tragedy), postcards, sheet
music and records. Later, fiction films exploited the story as a fable
about the emerging middle class. In our own times, with the epic James
Cameron film and assorted merchandise including Titanic software, and
beer, Howells sees the Titanic as an "allegory for decline, disaster,
decadence and doom ...and finally as kitsch-entertainment." As a modern
myth, the Titanic has become "a multimedia narrative."

Janet Staiger finds lots of reasons for storytelling, from the
anthropological to the psychoanalytical. But she emphasizes "economic
explanations: the standardization of stories for a capitalist purpose." We
know that a murdered sweetheart ballad "will be a seller," so it can be
premarketed and mass-produced. Some stories get yoked to particular
characters, and others can wander more freely across formulas. Staiger
compares Barbie and Cinderella, stuck in their plot lines, to Batman, who
can show up in detective, adventure, parody or melodrama form. The
"ability to sell figures separate from a formula enhances their capacity
for capitalization," says Staiger.

History of the Scopes Trial and the Controversy over the Teaching of
Evolution in the Schools
http://www.aaas.org/spp/wspa/

Wednesday, July 20, 2005, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM, AAAS Auditorium, 1200 New
York Avenue, NW Washington DC

Eighty years ago this month, John Thomas Scopes went on trial in Dayton,
Tennessee, for violating a state law prohibiting the teaching of the
theory of evolution. William Jennings Bryan, three-time Democratic
candidate for president, served on the prosecution team; Clarence Seward
Darrow led Scopes's defense. Scopes was convicted. A year later, the
Tennessee Supreme Court reversed Scopes's conviction on a technicality but
upheld the statute. The controversy over teaching evolution continues to
the present day.

The Daily Planet: A journalist's search for sustainability
RSVP

The seventh annual Robert C. Barnard Environmental Lecture will take place
on Tuesday, September 13 from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Andrew Revkin,
Environment Reporter from The New York Times will give a talk entitled
"The Daily Planet: A journalist's search for sustainability, from the
Amazon to the Arctic" at the AAAS headquarters in Washington D.C.,
followed by a book signing and reception. R.S.V.P. by Friday, 9 September
202-326-6700 or via e-mail: cgoodyear AT aaas.org

Assessment of US Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker Roles and Future Needs
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/webcr.nsf/(MeetByDocID)/8EA41534A0807ECD8525705900634FDB?OpenDocum


Assessment of U.S.C.G. Polar Icebreaker Roles and Future Needs
August 25, 2005 - August 26, 2005, National Academy of Sciences Building,
2100 C St. NW, Washington, DC

NAS Fall Exchibition Schedule
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/arts/exhibitions_schedule.html

The Altered Landscape, Riverbirds and Rainforests, Cycloids and Utopia.

NEW E-BOOKS, REPORTS AND E-JOURNALS

ANSI/NISO Z39.18 - 2005 Scientific and Technical Reports - Preparation,
Presentation and Preservation.
http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/Z39-18-2005.pdf?CFID=4592368&CFTOKEN=36375782


The Triple Helix: the Capitalization of Knowledge: Cognitive, Economic,
Social and Cultural Aspets, (5th International Triple Helix Conference),
proceedings. 2005.
http://www.triplehelix5.com/programme.htm

Freeman, Richard. Does Globalization of the Scientific/Engineering
Workforce Threaten U.S. Economic Leadership? NBER, 2005.
http://papers.nber.org/papers/w11457

Keeping American Competitive: Five Steps to Improve Mathematics and
Science Education. Education Commission of the States, 2005.
http://ecs.org/clearinghouse/62/19/6219.pdf

National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. CDC, 2005.
http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/

Science, Engineering and Technology and the UK's Ethnic Minority
Population. Royal Society, 2005.
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/downloaddoc.asp?id=1870

a Body burdens: Pollution in newborns. Environmental Working Group, 2005.
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php

Computational science: ensuring America's competitiveness. PITAC, 2005.
http://www.nitrd.gov/pitac/reports/20050609_computational/computational.pdf


Great Lakes Regional Collaboration draft report. 2005.
http://www.glrc.us/

Building a Better Delivery System: A New Engineering/Health Care
Partnership. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11378.html

Wind energy development programmatic environmental impact statement
(PEIS). BLM, 2005.
http://windeis.anl.gov/index.cfm

Frameworks for Higher Education in Homeland Security. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11141.html

The Navy's Needs in Space for Providing Future Capabilities. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11299.html

Partnering Against Terrorism: Summary of a Workshop. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11300.html

Preventing the Forward Contamination of Mars. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11381.html

Protection, Control, and Accounting of Nuclear Materials: International
Challenges and National Programs -- Workshop Summary. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11343.html

Safe Medical Devices for Children. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11313.html

Sea Basing: Ensuring Joint Force Access from the Sea. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11370.html

Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11366.html

Animal Health at the Crossroads: Preventing, Detecting, and Diagnosing
Animal Diseases. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11365.html

Superfund and Mining Megasites: Lessons from the Coeur d'Alene River
Basin. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11359.html

Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2004. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11242.html

Advancing the Nation's Health Needs: NIH Research Training Programs. NAP,
2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11275.html

Microbial Threats to Health: The Threat of Pandemic Influenza. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11371.html

ANSI/NISO Z39.29 - 2005 Bibliographic References.
http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/Z39-29-2005.pdf?CFID=4592368&CFTOKEN=36375782


America's Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science
(prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11311.html

Autonomous Vehicles in Support of Naval Operations. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11379.html

Engineering Research and America's Future: Meeting the Challenges of a
Global Economy (prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11393.html

Globalization of Materials R&D: Time for a National Strategy
(prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11395.html

Going to Extremes: Meeting the Emerging Demand for Durable Polymer Matrix
Composites (prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11424.html

Innovating for Profit in Russia: Developments in the Urals Region -
Summary of a Workshop (prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11418.html

Opportunities in High Magnetic Field Science. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11211.html

Review of Goals and Plans for NASA's Space and Earth Sciences
(prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11416.html

Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership:
First Report (prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11406.html

(Sackler NAS Colloquium) Scientific Examination of Art: Modern Techniques
in Conservation and Analysis. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11413.html

Spinal Cord Injury: Progress, Promise, and Priorities. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11253.html

Strengthening Long-Term Nuclear Security: Protecting Weapon-Usable
Material in Russia (prepublication). NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11377.html

Tank Wastes Planned for On-Site Disposal at Three Department of Energy
Sites: The Savannah River Site - Interim Report. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11415.html

Technological Options for User-Authorized Handguns: A Technology-Readiness
Assessment. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11394.html

Assessment of the Representative Payee Program of the Social Security
Administration: Letter Report. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11417.html

Enrollments and Degrees Report. AIP, 2005.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/catalog.html

Biological Science and Biotechnology in Russia: Controlling Diseases and
Enhancing Security. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11382.html

Engineering Research and America's Future: Meeting the Challenges of a
Global Economy. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11393.html

Mineral Tolerance of Animals: Second Revised Edition. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11309.html

Bridges to Independence: Fostering the Independence of New Investigators
in Biomedical Research. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11249.html

Thirteenth Interim Report of the Subcommittee on Acute Exposure Guideline
Levels. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11396.html

Science and Technology: A Foundation for Homeland Security. OSTP, 2005.
http://www.ostp.gov/html/OSTPHomeland.pdf

Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System. OSTP,
2005.
http://www.ostp.gov/html/EOCStrategic_Plan.pdf

Reopening Public Facilities After a Biological Attack: A Decision-Making
Framework. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11324.html

Assessment of NIH Minority Research Training Programs: Phase 3. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11329.html

Review and Assessment Program Options for Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot
Plants at Blue Grass: Letter Report. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11329.html

Review of Testing and Evaluation Methodology for Biological Point
Detectors: Abbreviated Summary. NAP, 2005.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11287.html


PLoS Genetics
http://www.plosgenetics.org/

Announcing the debut of a new open-access journal from the Public Library
of Science - PLoS Genetics. The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is
pleased to announce the July 25 launch of PLoS Genetics, a new
open-access, peer-reviewed journal. The journal is led by the
Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Wayne N. Frankel, a Senior Staff Scientist at The
Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.

Genetics and genomics research has grown at a bewildering pace in the past
15 years. PLoS Genetics reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the
field, and the research featured in the inaugural issue ranges from
nematodes to humans and from cancer to evolution. Each research article is
accompanied by a summary that places the findings in a broader context.

"The vision we have for PLoS Genetics as a community resource is first and
foremost to support the dissemination of our science in a way that draws
attention to the quality, depth, and scope of our best work. That this is
an open-access journal is an integral part of this vision," the editorial
team says. Open access-free availability and unrestricted use-to all
articles published in the journal is central to the mission of PLoS
Genetics and the Public Library of Science.

Two research articles from the inaugural issue are highlighted here. The
first describes the molecular reason why cats are indifferent to sugar,
and the second reports the discovery of 23 new longevity genes. We also
invite you to explore the full complement of research, commentaries, and
interviews that PLoS Genetics offers. Open access ensures that everything
published is immediately freely available to anyone, anywhere in the
world.

New and Changed Free Journal Archives at Highwire

Additional journals working with Stanford University's HighWire Press have
begun to participate in the "Free Back Issues" program; and some
publications have changed their Free Back Issue policies.

The Free Back Issues program now has about 233 journals participating (31
of these are entirely free), making nearly 940,000 full-text articles free
to the community; over two-thirds of all online full-text articles
produced by publishers working with HighWire Press are now free (88,000
more articles have been made free since my mid-April 2005 report; if you
need a copy of that or other previous announcements, please let Lisa
Krauss, copied on this email, know). These publishers comprise the largest
archive of free full-text research articles we know of.

Experimental Physiology http://ep.physoc.org/ free after 12 months,
rolling
Annals of Oncology http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/ free after 12 months,
rolling
Radiology http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/ free after 6 months, rolling; was
after 12 months
Radiographics http://radiographics.rsnajnls.org/ free after 6 months,
rolling; was after 12 months
Diabetes http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/ HTML full text free after 3
months; was after 6 months (PDF full text remains free after 6 months)
Diabetes Care http://care.diabetesjournals.org/ HTML full text free after
3 months; was after 6 months (PDF full text remains free after 6 months)
Pediatric Research http://www.pedresearch.org/ free after 6 months,
rolling; was after 12 months
British Journal of Anaesthesia http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ free after
12 months, rolling; was after 24 months

INTERESTING WEBSITES AND NEWS FROM THE INTERNET
125 Questions: What Don't We Know?
http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/125th/


What if a bunch of scientists got together and wrote a list of the most
compelling scientific puzzles that can't currently be solved, but have a
good chance of being figured out in the next 25 years? Enter the editors
of Science Magazine. To celebrate the magazine's 125th birthday, they
present 125 questions representing a current survey of "scientific
ignorance." The top 25 questions each feature a short essay with an
opportunity for readers to reply. Questions include: "What is the
biological basis of consciousness?"; "What are the limits of conventional
computing?"; "Is an effective HIV vaccine feasible?"; and "Why do humans
have so few genes?" For science fans, these questions should stimulate
some serious thinking. For scientists, the questions may inspire them to
roll up their sleeves and get to work! (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

The Art of Science Competition
http://www.princeton.edu/~artofsci/gallery/

screenshotThe speculative nature of art meets the objective field of
science in this Princeton University exhibition of unintentional artwork.
The online gallery displays 55 images created during scientific research
or using scientific tools and concepts. In the contest, an evocative dust
cloud of silicon micro-spheres took first prize, with a visual essay on
surface tension and some painted ants coming in at second and third place.
Other highlights include Warhol-esque planktic foraminifera and computer
innards that look like a miniature housing development. A plasma reactive
ion etching bears a striking resemblance to Mardi Gras beads, while a
dissonance reduction algorithm turns the Slayer song "Blood Red" into
visual art. Who says scientists are a dull, nerdy bunch? Some of them
obviously have an eye for color. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

New PubMed Training Materials
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja05/ja05_technote.html#train

PubMed is one of my favorite databases. It is frustrating for novices to
search because it is such a large database, and because its search engine
is very different from most standard search engines, but if you take the
time to really get to know how it works, it is, in fact,an extremely
elegant search engine and an amazingly broad and deep database. Don't be
misled into thinking this database is for medicine only. PubMed indexes
articles from across the range of sciences. If you take the time to learn
how to really use this database it will be well worth it.

Don't forget the handy "Single Citation Finder" that allows you to get a
complete citation from the barest of the information.

Now you can also identify cited articles in PubMed archives. "The full
text of articles archived in PubMed Central (PMC) includes the references
cited by the articles. You can now also see a list of those references in
PubMed, using the option Cited Articles, on the Links menu."


NSF Special Reports
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/index.jsp

The National Science Foundation presents web-based reports on language &
linguistics, Einstein & physics, weather patterns, the chemistry of water,
the 2004 tsunami, arctic climate research, Admiral Byrd's historic flight
to the South Pole (1929), cyberinfrastructure, fossils, earthquake
engineering simulation, ecology of infectious diseases, robotics,
visualization of research results & scientific phenomena, the world's
first electronic nervous system, teacher institutes, & Nobel prize
winners. The site provides videos, images, and additional resources for
each topic. (NSF)

NOVA Science Now
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/

A companion to the PBS show, this website presents information on the
topics covered in show episodes. Each topic has the usual high quality,
well presented information you expect from NOVA, along with links to
further information.

Biological Sciences
NOVA: "Deep Sea Invasion
http://www.pbs.org/nova/algae/


French marine biologist Alexandre Meinesz was diving in the Mediterranean
when he spotted a strange blanket of bright green plants on the seabed.
Meinesz was alarmed to find that the plants were toxic algae that were
decimating marine life in the Mediterranean, but his findings were ignored
for years by the scientific establishment. Nicknamed "killer algae," these
organisms have since taken over thousands of acres of seabed, and no one
knows how to stop them. Recently they appeared for the first time off the
coast of California, and now U.S. officials are struggling to contain
their spread along the coast of California. Here's what you'll find on the
companion Web site:

Articles -
The Impact of Invasive Species Explore varying degrees of menace posed by
alien invaders, from the gray squirrel to far more damaging organisms.
Battling Introduced Wildlife - Ecologist Daniel Simberloff outlines
strategies for combating weed-like species, both those that have gained a
foothold and those that might.
Time Line and Interactive
Chronology of an Invasion - Follow the alarming spread of Caulerpa
taxifolia, the so-called "killer algae," as it colonizes new waters around
the world.
Matching Aliens with Impacts - Take a look at ten successful invaders and
see if you can match them to the damage they've caused in their new
environment.

Understanding Genetics
http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/ugenetics/

While most people may retain a smattering of information and basic
concepts about the field of genetics, some may also wish to refresh their
knowledge base, and the Understanding Genetics website is a fine way to
get back up to speed. Created and maintained by the good people at the
Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, the homepage is well thought out,
and provides a nice entry point to many of the features available here.
Visitors can peruse the questions posed to geneticists in the "Ask a
Geneticist" feature, browse a selection of recent news stories regarding
genetics, and take a survey on the ethical questions posed by the issues
of stem cell research and genetically modified foods. The feature story is
a fine resource as well, as it provides basic, non-jargon-laden answers to
such question as "What is a gene?" and "How do genes work?". The site also
contains a number of activities that can be done at home, including a fun
exercise that teaches users how to extract DNA from strawberries. [KMG]
(From the Scout Report)

Chickscope
http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/explore/

The wonders of the web combined with the wonders of...the egg? Chickscope,
a Digital Dozen pick for July, uses the web to bring students (K-12) into
the lab, examining embryos virtually and using animations of eggs to learn
about such math topics as symmetry and plane curves. Students get access
not only to unique resources but also to scientific expertise through the
different areas of this site. (From ENC)

Conservation Central
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Education/ConservationCentral/

"Conservation Central is a habitat education program ... [which] explores
the temperate forest, home of the giant panda and black bear" through
online activities. Activities include designing a panda habitat,
conserving a forest habitat, and exploring a virtual forest. Also includes
teaching materials, learning activities, panda photos, and links to
related information. From the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. (From
Librarian's Index to the Internet)

The Scopes Monkey Trial 80 Years Later
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2005_07_18_highlights.htm

July 10 marked the 80th anniversary of the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial in
which John Scopes, a high school science teacher from Dayton, Tennessee,
was convicted for teaching evolution, which was a violation of state law.
Tennessee's law at the time forbade teachers to teach "any theory that
denies the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible."
Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan prosecuted Scopes, who was
defended by lawyer Clarence Darrow. According to news reports, the jury
found Scopes guilty after only nine minutes of deliberation. He was fined
$100. The trial was the inspiration for the Broadway play and film,
Inherit the Wind, as well as numerous books. The media reported heavily on
the anniversary of the trial and the ensuing challenges to the teaching of
evolution. NSTA provides this website with links to the news coverage.

Charles Darwin in His Own Words
http://www.thesecondevolution.com/darwin_intro.html

This is a visually splendid website with snatches of text from Darwin's
autobiography, and replete with lovely pictures of Darwin and Darwinia.
Darwin himself, his family, his house and gardens, friends, colleagues,
books, illustrations. These images are photographs, water colors, line
drawings, and more.

HHMI Virtual Museum
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/museum/

The medical and scientific marvels on display at BioInteractive Virtual
Museum, created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, invite wonder,
exploration, and hands-on interaction. Topics include obesity, biological
clocks, DNA, and immunology, just to name a few, and are presented with
online laboratories, animations, museum presentations, and video clips.
(From ENC)

Wood's Hole Harmful Algae Page
http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/

New England suffered from red tide this summer. This webpage tells you all
about the various algae that cause this and other problems. It includes a
photo gallery, information on the algae species, adverse effects, and
more.

Engineering
Bike Science
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cycling/index.html


Lance Armstrong's unprecedented seventh Tour de France victory has focused
world interest on bicycling. Investigate the technology of two-wheelers at
the Exploratorium's "The Science of Cycling", where you'll explore
engineering, aerodynamics, the workings of your muscles, and more.

Geosciences
The Voyage of Discovery Continues: A Satellite View of the Journey of
Lewis and Clark
http://edc.usgs.gov/LewisandClark/


Not a fancy website, but really quite nicely done by the USGS.

What's Up With the Weather?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/

This site examines "the science and politics of one of the most
controversial issues of the 21st century: the truth about global warming."
Topics include fossil fuel consumption, the role ice cores play in the
global environment, and predictions for "what would happen to the world's
coastlines if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melted." Includes a teacher's
guide and a FAQ. A production of Nova and Frontline, programs produced by
the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)

Africa to Atlantic: Dust to Dust
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/feature/2004/0116dust.html

Heavily linked "article about sand and dust storms in which "the planet's
deserts kick up literally millions of tons of dust, and winds send it
flying to far-flung destinations where it clogs our lungs, changes soil
chemistry, deposits minerals in bodies of water," and cause other
environmental damage. Includes a link to images of recent storms, such as
the storm in Iraq in August 2005, and links to related sites. From the
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center." (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)

Mathematical and Physical Sciences
NOVA - Mars, Dead or Alive?
http://www.pbs.org/nova/mars/


This NOVA goes behind the scenes to document the tension-filled process of
building, testing, final checking out, and launching of a pair of NASA
rovers designed to be robotic geologists on Mars. Engineers face a tight
deadline as Mars approaches its closest rendezvous with Earth. They're
stretched to the limit as parachutes rip, bolts fail, and airbags deflate.
Watch them apply all their ingenuity to overcome the technical hitches,
and witness the excitement at NASA as the first rover finally touches down
on the red planet. Here's what you'll find on the companion Web site:

Inquiry, Interview, and Overview Life's Little Essential - Everybody knows
that liquid water is necessary for life, at least as we know it. But just
exactly why?
Man on a Mission - Steve Squyres, the lead scientist who dreamed up the
rovers, reveals his hopes and fears for the mission.
Explore the Red Planet - See some of the finest images ever taken of the
martian surface.
>From Launch to Landing - Watch an animation of one rover's planned journey
from Earth to Mars.
Mars Up Close - Steve Squyres narrates this visual tour of the rovers'
most revealing discoveries.
Anatomy of a Rover - Examine the robotic geologists and their scientific
instruments.
Design a Parachute - Create a parachute both strong and light enough to
safely slow the rovers in their descent toward Mars.

Pickle Lab - The Chemistry of Pickles
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/pickles/index.html

Pickling is the ancient culinary craft of preserving foods in salt brine
or vinegar. Over millennia, cultures across the globe have tinkered with
pickling recipes to make dishes spanning the gamut of tastes. Kids can
explore the chemistry of pickles at this fun site from the Exploratorium.

The Launch of Google Moon
http://moon.google.com/

"It was 36 years ago today when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on
the moon while Michael Collins circled overhead. I remember it like it was
just yesterday. This five year old was glued to his television in suburban
Chicago watching history. To celebrate the historic event Google has not
only put up a special logo on all of their home pages but they're also
releasing Google Moon. That's right space fans, you're now able to use the
same technology that you'll find at Google Maps and Google Earth to wander
around the Moon. In many cases you're unable to zoom-in very close. This
is due to NASA providing Google with a limited data set." (From
SearchEngineWatch)

Three Lectures by Hans Bethe
http://bethe.cornell.edu

"IN 1999, legendary theoretical physicist Hans Bethe delivered three
lectures on quantum theory to his neighbors at the Kendal of Ithaca
retirement community (near Cornell University). Given by Professor Bethe
at age 93, the lectures are presented here as QuickTime videos
synchronized with slides of his talking points and archival material.

BBC - Space - Life?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/life/

This BBC website presents information on:

How life starts
Looking for life
Aliens
as well as an "alien invaders" video game, as well as links to other
related games, quizzes, and information sources. All are presented in a
visually compelling format.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/

"Information about NASA's summer 2005 mission to Mars that "will examine
the red planet in unprecedented detail from low orbit" and "will examine
Martian features ranging from the top of the atmosphere to underground
layering." The mission's launch opportunity begins August 10, 2005.
Includes news, fact sheets, and images, which will expand as the mission
progresses. From the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute
of Technology." (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)

The Learning Wave
http://www.learningwave.com/lwonline/workingfront/frontwave.html

Students in grades 3-9 can interact with their math at LearningWave
Online: Interactive Mathematics. Here they'll find concept pages that
explain math content--in categories such as number theory, fractions,
algebra, and probability--and application problems that reinforce the
learning. These applications can take the form of games and puzzles; for
instance, one game challenges players to land the job of host or hostess
at El Miro in Radiant City Prime, where they have to be fluent with
fractions to succeed. (From ENC)

BBC Space Gallery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/myspace/yourgallery/index.shtml

Astoundingly beautiful images from amateur photographers around the world.

10th Planet
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/newplanet-072905.html


Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
Cycles: African Life Through Art
http://www.ima-art.org/cycles/


African art is meant to be used -- for dancing, wearing, holding, or
healing. This colorful Flash exhibition from the Indianapolis Museum of
Art explores the life and culture of Africa through its art. Graphics,
music, text, sounds, and film clips skillfully weave together to create a
cyclical experience that highlights the themes of ancestors, youth,
leadership, and adulthood. The cultural context of each piece is key, and
the site carefully explains the important elements of each. Discover what
an Akuaba is and how it is used by the Asante women in Ghana, or learn
about the role a babalawo plays in Yuruba tradition. All 19 featured art
objects may be examined in detail: Rotate them or zoom in for a closer
view. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

Traditions of the Sun
http://www.traditionsofthesun.org/

How often do you get to see the day's first light through an ancient Mayan
archway? With this site, crack-of-dawn-loving organizations NASA and the
National Park Service extend an invitation to do just that. Using two
"explorer modes," Traditions of the Sun leads you to ancient solar
observatories in the Yucatan and New Mexico's Chaco Canyon. From there,
you can investigate how ancestral people built those locales to reflect
and interact with the sun. There's a wealth of stuff here, but we
particularly recommend the time-lapse movies: Glimpse the first blush of
sunrise at the Sun Temple in Dzibilchaltun. Behold the sun as it creeps
across the great house of Pueblo Bonito. Or see a shaft of light briefly
illuminate a Native American rock painting. It's like a date with
daylight; don't miss it. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

Haka
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/about-nz/culture/haka-feature/haka.cfm

You know those days when you're racking your brain for a good way to
intimidate your co-workers? The haka may be just what you're looking for.
Thanks to Tourism New Zealand, you can experience the "energy and awe of
the haka." Read about its Maori origins and its various forms, then why
New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks, performs it on the
field before every match. A nifty "Learn to Haka" feature shows you how to
perform the moves and chant, step by step, complete with menacing
eye-rolling and grimaces. So next time you just want everyone to leave you
alone and have a few minutes to yourself, let loose with a mighty "Ka
mate!" (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

Eco5.com
http://www.eco5.com/

"Source: European Business School (International University Schloß
Reichartshausen)

"Eco5.com is a free professional research platform for the financial and
economic world. The concept of eco5.com is based on 'adding value by
selection'. This is put into practice by carefully selecting free research
resources and making these directly accessible via a simple menu
structure, enabling our users to save research time and energy."

The home page is deceptively simple. Start exploring the eight sections
here and you'll uncover some real gems. For example, you'll find an
extensive collection of nicely organized links to historic financial data
-- stock market, GDP, exchange rates, interest rates, employment
income/personal consumption, trade, public finance, budget and more. Data
is available in varying quantities for North America, Europe, Asia, Africa
and Australia -- mainly, but not exclusively, from the U.S., the UK,
Japan, Germany and France. You'll also find links to key sources of global
historic data.

There's also good one-stop shopping here for repositories of working
papers, finance and economics glossaries, and dictionaries and translation
sites. The international institutions section provides links to central
banks, finance ministries, chambers of commerce, exchanges and
commissions, governments, international organizations and statistical
offices. Browse by type of institution or geographic location." (From The
Resources Shelf)

Pew Global Attitudes Project
http://pewglobal.org

This is "a series of worldwide public opinion surveys. More than 90,000
interviews in 50 countries have been conducted as part of the project."
The website features reports (on topics such as European views of the U.S.
and Islamic extremism), commentaries (on free trade, global gender gaps,
and other topics), datasets, and summaries of news items. From the Pew
Research Center. (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)

Interview with Claude M. Steele
http://www.nationalacademies.org/interviews/people/steele.html

Growing up just outside of Chicago during the civil rights era, Claude
Steele was raised with an awareness of the importance of education for
black Americans. His interest in literature nearly led him to become a
writer, but he found that social psychology was more to his liking.

The following items are from Edupage. To subscribe to Edupage: send mail
to: listproc AT educom.unc.edu with the message: subscribe edupage Anonymous
(if your name is Anonymous; otherwise, substitute your own name). To
unsubscribe send a message to: listproc AT educom.unc.edu with the message:
unsubscribe edupage. (If you have subscription problems, send mail to:
manager AT educom.unc.edu.)

U.S. LOSING GROUND IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Confirming the suspicions of
many, a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates
that the United States is steadily losing ground to a number of other
countries, particularly China, in the number of PhDs it awards in science
and engineering fields. In 1970, nearly one-third of the world's college
students attended a college or university in the United States, and more
than half of the science and engineering PhDs were awarded by U.S.
schools. A number of global factors contributed to those numbers, making
them artificially high. Since that time, however, higher education around
the world, and especially programs in science and engineering, has greatly
expanded, leaving the United States with just 14 percent of the world's
college students by 2001. According to the report, China could surpass the
United States as early as 2010 in the number of science and engineering
PhDs it awards. Inside Higher Ed, 15 July 2005 (via Edupage)
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/07/15/science

BRITAIN SEES FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN PUBLISHING A new study by the British
Library predicts that by the year 2020, 90 percent of newly published work
in the United Kingdom will be available electronically. Just 10 percent of
works published then will be printed only, and half of those published
electronically will also be printed, according to the study. Lynne
Brindley, chief executive of the library, said such a "seismic shift" in
publishing requires different methods to ensure adequate protection and
storage of the electronic materials. The library is developing a digital
storage system that it hopes will prove sufficiently robust. Three copies
of every item will exist, with one stored off-site for recovery in the
event of a catastrophic failure. A spokesperson from the library noted
that as published content is increasingly in electronic format, officials
must make decisions about what new types of content they will archive,
such as Web sites and possibly even blog content. BBC, 29 June 2005 (via
Edupage)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4633423.stm

GOOGLE MODIFIES LIBRARY PROJECT Google has announced some changes to its
Library Project following vocal criticism from a number of publishers.
Under the terms of the project, Google made arrangements with five major
libraries to scan some or all of their books, posting at least a portion
of each book in an online repository for public access. Publishers
complained that making such electronic copies of copyrighted
works--regardless of whether they are put online--violates the rights of
the copyright holder. Google now says it will not scan any book that a
publisher specifically asks to be exempted, and it will not scan any
copyrighted books until November, giving publishers time to review titles
they might want excluded. Publishers appeared unmoved, however, with the
Association of American Publishers (AAP) saying that Google's new plan
"places the responsibility for preventing infringement on the copyright
owner rather than the user." Peter Givler of the Association of American
University Presses echoed the AAP's dissatisfaction with the changes to
the project. He was glad that Google is trying to address publishers'
concerns but said of the new policy that it "doesn't seem to me that it
gets us very far." Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 August 2005 (via
Edupage)
http://chronicle.com/free/2005/08/2005081201t.htm

BROADENING THE SCOPE OF FREE COURSEWARE Rice University's Connexions
project is an effort to take the idea of free educational materials to a
new level. Started in 1999 by Richard Baraniuk, professor of electrical
and computer engineering at Rice, Connexions is not unlike MIT's
OpenCourseWare project, which puts course materials from all MIT classes
online for free. In contrast, Connexions takes the approach of aggregating
course materials from professors at any school. Connexions also offers
feedback tools that allow users to rate content, similar to rating systems
on sites such as Amazon.com. In Connexions, ratings happen after
publication, rather than before publication as in traditional peer review,
but Baraniuk believes the rating system can provide an alternative to
traditional peer review, a system Baraniuk believes is broken. Baraniuk
also sees enormous potential in Connexions to help community colleges,
which rely heavily on adjunct professors who often have little time for
course development. With relatively limited resources, faculty at
community colleges could use Connexions to create courses tailored for
their institution and students, rather than the common practice of simply
having to rely on a single textbook for material. Inside Higher Ed, 29
July 2005 (Via Edupage)
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/07/29/open

HP CLAIMS PROGRESS ON QUANTUM COMPUTING Researchers at HP said they have
taken a significant step in the development of a functioning quantum
computer, and the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) is contributing as much as $10 million to support the project. As
opposed to the transistors--which can register either 1 or 0--that
underlie today's computer processors, quantum computing is based on the
physics of subatomic particles, allowing so-called "qubits" to represent
both 1 and 0 simultaneously. The result could be vastly expanded
processing power of quantum computers compared to those based on
transistors. Tthe DARPA funding will be used by the researchers to
construct a functioning prototype. One researcher commented that to
perform a single demonstration will not be difficult; the challenge lies
in doing it reliably and "in a way that will allow us to do quantum
information processing." Other quantum physics researchers question the
basis of the HP team's approach, saying that fundamentally different
approaches to quantum computing hold more promise. New York Times, 1 July
2005 (registration req'd)(via Edupage)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/01/technology/01hewlett.html

PRINCETON DEBUTS UNIVERSITY CHANNEL Princeton University has launched the
University Channel, an online repository of video footage of academic
lectures. The service serves as a central location for finding lectures
and presentations from colleges and universities that submit materials.
Donna Liu, executive director of the project, noted that although some
institutions provide Webcasts of important lectures, frequently tapings of
lectures are purely for archival purposes and cannot be easily located or
viewed later. The focus of the channel initially will be lectures on
public policy and international affairs, and several institutions have
already submitted content for the site. Topics might be expanded in the
future. The University Channel is also working with cable companies to
broadcast some of the lectures over cable networks. The new channel is
similar in concept to a project at the University of Washington called the
Research Channel, which focuses on scientific and medical research.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 28 July 2005 (sub. req'd) (via Edupage)
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/07/2005072801t.htm

NEW LAW ESTABLISHES DATABASES OF MEDICAL ERRORS A bill signed into law
last week mandates the creation of a network of databases that store
anonymous information on medical errors. According to a 1999 report by the
Institute of Medicine, medical errors cost the lives of 98,000 people in
the United States each year. Sharing information about those errors is
seen by many as a useful step toward preventing similar errors in the
future, but many health care providers have been reluctant to share such
information for fear of litigation. To that end, the databases mandated by
the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 will strip
identifying information regarding patients and providers. Reporting
information to the databases will be voluntary, and backers of the measure
hope that the anonymity provision will encourage providers to submit
details of medical errors, allowing others to learn from their mistakes.
Dr. J. Edward Hill, president of the American Medical Association, called
the new law "the catalyst we need to transform the current culture of
blame and punishment into one of open communication and prevention."
Federal Computer Week, 1 August 2005 (via Edupage.)
http://govhealthit.com/article89736-07-29-05-Web

WEBCASTING LECTURES TO VAST AUDIENCES In September, the University of
Pittsburgh will host a Webcast that organizers of the event believe will
be the academic lecture with the largest audience in history. The lecture,
given by Dr. Eric K. Noji on the topic of the public-health consequences
of disasters, will potentially be viewed by as many as one million
doctors, students, and others around the world. The lecture will be
transmitted live to a number of organizations, including Internet2,
Egypt's Library of Alexandria, the Medical Library Association, and
UNICEF. Those organizations will then distribute the Webcast on their own
networks. Because the participating organizations are covering their own
costs for the event, the overall expense for the university will be
relatively small. Ronald E. LaPorte, a professor of epidemiology at the
university, said that disseminating medical research often takes a long
time, and part of the goal of the Webcast is to make such information
available much more quickly. LaPorte also acknowledged that many
developing nations lack the technology infrastructure to support the
Webcasts. For them, the university will offer presentation materials from
the lecture as well as other resources. Chronicle of Higher Education, 26
July 2005 (sub. req'd)(via Edupage)
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/07/2005072601t.htm

SENATORS TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE OF SCIENCE GRADS U.S. Senators said they will
propose a bill next week to increase federal funding of multidisciplinary
research and support for "revolutionizing" manufacturing technologies and
processes. The legislation will also increase spending for the Technology
Talent Act, which provides grants to colleges and universities to increase
the number of science and engineering graduates. The proposed legislation
is based on the 2004 National Innovation Initiative Report released by the
Council on Competitiveness. That report calls for creating 5,000 new
federally funded graduate fellowships, reworking immigration laws, and
building 10 "innovation hot spots." Internet News, 21 July 2005 (via
Edupage)
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3521851

PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUMS DEVELOPING ONLINE DATABASE Two prominent photography
collections have announced a joint project to create an online database of
images from both collections. The George Eastman House and the
International Center of Photography said the Photomuse.org site will
contain nearly 200,000 images when it is launched, which is projected to
be in the fall of 2006. Between them, the two organizations have some of
the most complete archives of photos, including work from the early days
of cameras. Photos in the database will be assigned a range of keywords so
that users can locate images by more than simply photographer's name or
title of the photo. A photo of an immigrant couple, for example, will be
included in search results for terms such as "immigration,"
"Italian-Americans," or "Ellis Island." Photos in the database, all of
which will be publicly available online, will be of modest resolution,
though higher-resolution images will also be available. Organizers still
must sort out copyright questions for photos not in the public domain.
Owners of some photographs are happy to have the exposure from including
their work, while others are concerned about potential lost revenue if
their work is included. New York Times, 20 July 2005 (registration req'd)
(via Edupage)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/20/arts/design/20east.html

KANSAS SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON OWNERSHIP OF FACULTY WORK The Kansas
Supreme Court will evaluate an appellate court decision giving public
institutions in Kansas the right to claim ownership of any faculty work,
including books, with no negotiation on terms required. The lower court
treated faculty work as "work for hire" under federal copyright law,
classifying scholarly work as within the scope of employment of a faculty
member. The current policy, designed in 1998, allows faculty to keep their
book rights and has a revenue-sharing model for technology copyrights.
Should the higher court decide in favor of the board, the policy could be
changed at will. The case pits the Kansas Board of Regents against the
Kansas National Education Association. Inside Higher Ed, 7 August 2005
(via Edupage).
http://insidehighered.com/news/2005/08/08/kansas

SURVEY SHOWS MIXED IMPACT OF INTERNET ON STUDENTS A survey conducted in
May 2004 by Steve Jones, professor of communciation at the University of
Illinois at Chicago, and Camille Johnson-Yale, a graduate student in
communication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
determined that 42 percent of the professors surveyed saw a decline in the
quality of student work with the advent of the Internet, while 22 percent
noted an improvement. However, a majority of respondents, 67 percent,
indicated that the Internet had improved their communication with
students. The nationwide survey of 2,316 faculty elicited a concern with
student plagiarism, and 74 percent of respondents said they use the
Internet or other tools to detect plagiarism. The researchers have
presented some of their findings at academic conferences and have
submitted their work to a peer-reviewed academic journal. Chronicle of
Higher Education, 7 August 2005 (sub. req'd) (via Edupage)
http://chronicle.com/prm/weekly/v51/i49/49a03201.htm

BRINGING THE INTERNET TO RURAL INDIA As many as 5,000 villages in rural
India may soon be connected to the Internet, thanks to efforts of an
international group of companies and organizations, including the World
Bank. Many rural Indians do not have easy access to business or government
functions, and the project is designed to fill that gap for villages with
more than 5,000 residents in the Indian state of Karnataka. The computer
centers or kiosks will connect to the Internet either through wired
networks or by satellite and will have between 5 and 10 "thin client"
computers. In addition to the World Bank, partners in the project include
Comat Technologies, an Indian Internet service provider; ICICI Bank, a
commercial bank in India; and California-based Wyse Technology, maker of
computer terminal equipment. New York Times, 15 June 2005 (registration
req'd)(via Edupage)
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/technology/16compute.html

U.K. SCHOOLS TEST VALUE OF GAMES Four secondary schools in the United
Kingdom will be part of a research project designed to determine what
educational value lies in computer gaming and what changes could be made
to computer games to create or increase that value. The project, which is
funded by game maker Electronic Arts and led by educational organization
Futurelab, will primarily study mainstream games rather than so-called
edutainment programs, which are created specifically for educational
purposes. Researchers will work with teachers to develop lessons that
incorporate commercial games, looking for benefits students gain from
playing those games. Initial results from the project are expected in
about a year. BBC, 10 August 2005 (via Edupage)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4134530.stm

The following item is via NSTA: Massachusetts Adds Science Test to
Graduation Requirement In a 6 to 1 vote, last week the Massachusetts Board
of Education added science to the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive
Assessment System) test, which students will be required to pass before
they graduate. The requirement will first affect the class of 2010, which
are this year's incoming eighth-graders. According to an article in The
Boston Globe, by making science a graduation requirement, "Massachusetts
is joining 13 others states that require the tests or plan to do so soon."
According to the Globe article, the tests are a mix of "multiple- choice
and open-ended questions and should draw from the knowledge that students
gain from experiments, textbooks, and lectures." Opinions about the tests
have been mixed. Board members believe the new requirement will focus more
time and attention on science. Opponents contend that teachers will focus
too much time on test preparation and cut out valuable time for
experiments that help students gain a deeper understanding of science.
Others worry that too many students will fail the test. To read The Boston
Globe article, go to
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/06/29/science_mcas_added_to_list.



INTER ALIA
Edward Burtynsky
http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/


At least since the Romantics, beauty in nature has often been associated
with benevolence. So what are we to make of the photographs of Edward
Burtynsky, which showcase breathtakingly beautiful landscapes of quarries
or fire-orange rivers stained with nickel tailings? He calls his eerie,
painterly images "reflecting pools of our times," and much of his work
explores how industry transforms nature. The 16 collections featured here
demonstrate Burtynsky's fascination with cut rock, recycling yards, and
the oil and shipping industries. His "Three Gorges" collection presents
desolate images from China, where 11 cities were recently destroyed in a
six-month period to make way for a massive dam and reservoir. In
Burtynsky's photos, beauty could very well be the mother of death. (From
Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

The Invisible Library
http://www.invisiblelibrary.com/

Want to read Jo March's "The Curse of the Coventrys" or Eccentrica
Gallumbits' "The Big Bang Theory, A Personal View"? Sorry, you can't.
They're fictional. Not books of fiction, but fictional books. These and
all the other books listed in The Invisible Library are imaginary titles
dreamed up by authors and referenced in actual works of fiction. Librarian
Brian Quinette, with help from friends also obsessed with fictional
fiction, has carefully cataloged hundreds of non-existent titles. Browse
the names of real authors and titles to find the pseudo versions. From the
"books" written by Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's novels, to the
"Misery" series created by the fictional hero of Stephen King's "Misery,"
to the mysterious "Necronomicon" by H.P. Lovecraft's Abdul Alhazred, this
library boasts lists of potentially rich reading material -- if only they
existed. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

Birding Babylon
http://birdingbabylon.blogspot.com/

Oblivious to human conflict, birds go about the ancient patterns of their
lives. Soldiers, however, can afford neither obliviousness nor ancient
patterns, especially members of the United States military stationed in
Iraq. "J," the blogger behind Birding Babylon, is both a U.S. soldier and
a devoted observer of avian life. On his first day in Iraq, he was struck
by the number of birds he saw -- and identified 26 species. Over the next
18 months, J managed to observe and identify many feathered friends. At
times, his experience seems surreal; once, while fully armed and guarding
his convoy, he couldn't help but notice a pair of crested larks nearby.
Now that he's home, he hasn't given up his obsession, and continues to
research and write about wildlife in Iraq. Perhaps, like J, we all could
learn something from the birds. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)

Bye Bye Blackboard: From Einstein and others
http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/blackboard/

Educational theorists, professors, and other such types have long
predicted the demise of the blackboard in the classroom. While many remain
skeptical of other forms of transmitting knowledge (such as the use of
tools such as PowerPoint and the like), it is certainly true that
blackboards are disappearing from many classrooms. With that in mind, the
Museum of the History of Science at the University of Oxford has created
this online exhibit that pays tribute to the blackboard and its many uses.
Visitors to the site can view eighteen different blackboards from
contributors that include Albert Einstein, Brian Eno, Glenda Jackson, and
Alain de Botton. Visitors can view large images of each blackboard and its
contents and also view some brief commentary from each contributor. [KMG]
(From the Scout Report)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All items from the Scout Report are copyright Susan Calcari, 1994-2000.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the Scout
Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on
all copies. The InterNIC provides information about the Internet to the US
research and education community under a cooperative agreement with the
National Science Foundation: NCR-9218742. The Government has certain
rights in this material.
Blue Web'n is a searchable library of Blue-Ribbon Web sites categorized by
grade level, content area, and type. Visit Blue Web'n online at
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn .

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this
newsletter are those of the participants (authors), and do not necessarily
represent the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science
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