Netsurfer Science 05.01

The issue of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics is making more and more headlines. When we've taken to carrying little bottles of attractive green gel antibiotic hand creams with us everywhere, doctors cringe. Equally, they cringe when we expect antibiotics to banish all our ills, trivial and major. The problem: Those microbes that survive our relentless scrubbing rise to the top of the microscopic heap. Rid of competition, they're free to multiply, generating a new wave of ever stronger bugs, more and more resistant to ever more potent antibiotics. The result: super strains or drug-resistant versions of E. coli, influenzas, salmonella, gonorrhea, genital herpes, and tuberculosis, to name a few. The problem sounds like a small exercise in epidemiology, but the fact is that it has many medical professionals deeply concerned about how to beat these muscular viruses and bacteria if they ever give rise to a real epidemic. The very fine WhyFiles explain the problem in whip smart text and crystal clear graphics. The same problem is a crucial plot point in a 1999 book by one of our favorite authors. Check out The First Eagle, by Tony Hillerman. You'll be surprised to learn that the plague isn't quite as wiped out as you'd thought.
WhyFiles: http://whyfiles.org/038badbugs/
First Eagle: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061097853/netsurferdigest

EARTH SYSTEMS
No matter where you go, there you are

The Disasterium

This unusual site includes a record of earthquakes so we'll put it into our earth sciences section. However, it's both more and less than that. It's a timeline more than anything, but imaginatively presented. The list of events themselves seems to be exhaustive, even if the attendant information isn't. Still, it's an interesting look at the conjunction of disasters. The author doesn't posit any relationships, and certainly there's no reason for him to do so. But, it's still one way to look at how tragedies cluster. The photos have been left to speak largely for themselves. If you have time to browse it, the Disasterium is probably an excellent place from which to launch searches for information about natural and man-made disasters, though as a comprehensive resource in and of itself it falls short.
http://disasterium.com/index.shtml

Netsurfer Recommendations

Items our staff likes and you might too. Click on the cover or title to order the item at a hefty discount from Amazon.com and Beyond.com and send a few pennies our way as well.

The Future of Life
Edward Osborne Wilson
Knopf; ISBN: 0679450785

The double Pulitzer Prize winning naturalist makes an impassioned appeal to save the future of life on Earth. Wilson is a great writer, not only in the sense of mastering the flow of words, but also in his ability to clearly and concisely spelling out his arguments. In this book he talks about the inevitable paths of biological extinction and how human actions can shape their future. He argues that the loss of biodiversity is ultimately an economic loss for the human race, touching everything from agriculture, to medicine, science, and even future human conflict. A short, clear book which is already elevating the level of academic and political discourse about the future of our planet's biodiversity.

A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals
Spiro Kostof
Oxford Univ Press; ISBN: 0195034732

It's no easy task to cover the entire history of architecture; Kostof took almost 800 pages to accomplish it. Nearly every one of those pages boasts at least one, and often more, photographs and illustrations. From the Stone Age to the Information Age, he treats architecture as a reflection of culture and the technologies available to it, and as an expression of societies and the sensibilities that define them. His prose is pithy and evocative. Of the early Middle Ages he writes: "Religion was the road to posterity. Towns without bishops faded away. A relic, a saintly person, an apparition could ensure longevity. Rome was saved by her shrines and the authority of her bishop. Pilgrimages and annual fairs bolstered the economy of these holy cities. Otherwise it was trade or administrative favor that had to be relied on.." This is a scholarly and scientific work, accessible to anyone with an appreciation of social history.

Genes, Girls, and Gamow: After the Double Helix
James D. Watson
Knopf; ISBN: 0375412832

James Watson, the world famous co-discoverer of DNA structure takes up where hes previous, now classic memoir " The Double Helix" left off. This is the story of what happened after, when everybody started scrambling for the nuggets of gold which ley strewn along the way to the just born biological revolution. There was money to be made, science to be done, and girls to be chased. Another witty and engaging account of a key time in modern scientific history from one of its key participants. Highly recommended.

For more selections, check out the Netsurfer Library at http://www.netsurf.com/nsl/

COMPUTING AND ENGINEERING
Open the pod bay doors, Hal

Slacking Meets Deadlines

This proposition made minor headlines a few years back when the authors posited that delaying the purchase of a computer could actually speed the process of processing. This seeming paradox was an effect of successive processors' power increasing faster than their ability to process. Think of it this way in its most basic expression: You need to multiply two 15-digit numbers. We can start now with pen and paper, or we can wait three minutes for the guy with the calculator to get here. See? Wait and you actually finish faster. Procrastination pays. We have practical evidence on a smaller scale. For what our brand spanking new 1.2 GHz CPU cost six months ago, we can have an even speedier 1.7 today. Family members also asked us to take a college-bound nephew shopping for a computer after the Santa season so it could be put on layaway until September. We nixed that idea real fast. Read here why procrastination can be productive. Adapt the principles for your next strategic planning exercise.
http://agave.as.arizona.edu/~chrisg/mooreslaw.html

Time Through Time

Time is as simple and complex a phenomenon as our poor meager imaginations can likely muster. The precision of the Mayan calendars, the ancients' marriage of architecture and astronomy, our concerns for the Sun's precise location on dates of which we were only dimly aware. We're also fascinated by how culture related to the tools used for telling time. Through the Ages looks at calendars through a cultural filter. Our obsession with time notwithstanding, we're unquestionably less in tune with those rhythms now. Still, you too can amaze family and friends, not by counting fallen toothpicks, but by identifying the day of the week on which any date falls in the 20th century. All you need is a couple principles of the way calendars work, a set of mnemonic aids, and Bingo! It's "The 39 Steps" meets "Rain Man".
Through the Ages: http://webexhibits.org/calendars/index.html
Days of the calendar: http://www.interlog.com/~r937/doomsday.html

Robotics, Once More

The third issue of our Netsurfer Robotics is out: all new Battlebots, some musings on whether there's money in robotics, the ever elusive sucking, clipping, and blowing problems, a cornucopia of cyborg bits, and some odd nano art. Not to mention all those cool robot toys. Oh, all right, we'll mention them. Check it out, and subscribe if you like it.
NSR 01.03: http://www.netsurf.com/nsr/
Subscribe: http://www.netsurf.com/nsr/subscribe.html

ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away

Howling at the Moon

Do we believe everything government tells us? Of course not. But, we think that some conspiracies would be so unmanageable that they'd implode faster than an empty soda can in the Marianas Trench q.v. The fake moon landing is one of our favorite confabulations. Under this theory, NASA didn't land on the moon - and its own photos prove it. Now, to the extent that anyone cares, once we stop chuckling about how little the hoax proponents actually know about the science they claim to defend, this sort of nonsense also makes us angry, because it diminishes not only the breath-taking courage of people like the Armstrongs and Lovells of this world, but also the heart-breaking sacrifices of the Grissoms and McAuliffes. People (and television networks) who propagate this foolishness at least owe it to those pioneers to get their science right. Phil Plait, whose very admirable Bad Astronomy site has made Netsurfer lists before, tackles the so-called evidence point by point. Even if you don't care about the accusations, take a look at the science. It's instructional in reminding us how very alien even our own lunar environment is. In his personal pages, planetary scientist Jim Scotti covers much the same territory, 'though he deals equally with a hoax site. Marianas Archipelago:
Bad Astronomy: http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html
Scotti: http://pirlwww.lpl.arizona.edu/~jscotti/NOT_faked/
Marianas Trench: http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/marianas/trench.html
http://www.cnmi-guide.com/info/sketches/marianastrench.html

Infrared Astronomy

How did a simple thermometer aid in the discovery of infrared radiation? Linda Hermans-Killam answers that question and many more in her wonder filled Infrared Astronomy pages. Did you know that when we finally lifted infrared telescopes into orbit, we discovered more than 200% new infrared light sources in the universe, increasing our inventory to 350,000 objects with just one satellite? Hermans-Killam launches her wonderfully comprehensive site from the hows and whys of seeing infrared light, and she soars from there. The graphics are a real eyeful. You can sense her own love of the subject from the always comprehensible text that never talks down to her readers. Show this woman the invisible and she helps us see the universe.
http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/Outreach/Edu/

MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
42

Elementymology

Now here's an interesting little site with an entirely different approach. It's designed mostly for those of us who enjoy perusing the dictionary on a rainy afternoon. Owner Peter van der Krogt is a map historian with an abiding interest in entymology, and chemical names in particular. Click through his uniquely color-coded periodic table to discover not isotopes and moles but the origins of the elements' names, quirks in their history, and translation in 50 languages. He's also a sorter, presenting the elements in categories like place of discovery, or era of discovery. What he's not at all concerned with is atomic masses, affinities, or nuclides. If you want that kind of information - packaged in one of the flashiest sites we've seen -check out the Flash version of the Royal Society of Chemistry's periodic table. We referred you to it early in NSS' own history, but we still think it's the coolest example around. The screensavers are a bit of alright, too.
Elementymology: http://www.dsdelft.nl/~tneleme/index.html
RSC: http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/index.htm

Red and White and Bleu All Over

It suggests a recipe site at first glance and, in truth, there's not a lot of hard science here. But, the science is satisfying in the same way that we were pleased in a previous issue to learn how whiskies earn their complex flavors. Here's an index of the world's cheeses, with brief notes on their production and characteristics. There's basic information about how any cheese is made, of course. Then, 652 individual entries detail how each cheese acquires its own character. We learn why, for instance, Abertam has such a robust flavor. And, the cheese facts caution us about why blue cheeses should be wrapped more thoroughly than others. There's a link to a transcription and full-length sound file of the classic Monty Python cheese shop sketch.
Cheese.com: http://www.cheese.com/default.asp
Monty Python: http://www.montypython.net/scripts/cheese.php

ARCHEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY
What is past is prologue

Aerial Archeology

All the evidence we can find suggests that aerial archeology is a predominantly European pursuit. This bias might not be so surprising since ditches and stone structures do seem to dominate the artifacts. Austrian, French, and British sites offer a range of images and varying degrees of mastery in the English language. The idea is simple and obvious, but at the same time admirably subtle. Standing in the midst of an ancient ruin razed by time, we may well miss the evidence all around us. Step back, take a second look at the way shadows are cast, change your vantage point to see how the contours run, peer down from a height to spot the variations in vegetation and surfaces still lingering after millennia. Apply expertise to interpret the results, revealing ancient structures, lost roads, and buried buildings. This maturing science reveals what spymasters have known since their satellites turned lenses back toward Earth: It's interpretive work.
French: http://archaero.com/archeo31.html
Austrian: http://www.univie.ac.at/Luftbildarchiv/index.htm#TOC#TOC
UK: http://www.wdi.co.uk/air/welcome.htm
Middle Eastern: http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/Classics/archeology/rsame.html
Research group: http://rs6000.univie.ac.at/AARG/
Practices: http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/project/goodguides/apandrs/

Forensic Archaeology

In terms of results, the emphasis here is on the forensics. But, in terms of process, archeology seems to be the primary subject. There's no question that archeology's skills and principles come into play, but the focus is on this discipline's application to justice, not history. This is a compact site, well organized and succinct. Considering that whole texts can be written on any of the many subjects that he addresses, Neil has done a fine job of distilling the facts. He's engaging and a good deal less pedantic than the reigning king of television forensics, Gil Grissom. Generally, we found the graphics to be judiciously used, so the high resolution version shouldn't tax your connection too dramatically. We'll also mention that a visit to the CSI promo site isn't entirely wasted. Check out the handbook and crime lab pages for honest-to-goodness value.
Forensic archaeology: http://www.forensicarchaeology.com/
CSI: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi/main.shtml

MEDICINE, BIOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY
It's alive! It's alive!

Those Pearly Whites, Those Pearly Gates

In ivory, nature endowed a handful of animals with one of the world's most useful and beautiful artistic media. Ivories come in many shapes and sizes - and compositions, as it turns out. Elephant tusks, for instance, completely lack enamel, but they bear natural markings that rival the fluidity of fine fractals. Narwhal tusks are not only twisted, but hollow to boot. And, did you know that there's a vegetable ivory that sounds like one tough nut to crack? Inuit and Japanese artists in particular have a long history of decorative ivory work. Scrimshaw, that whalers' art, is enjoying something of a renaissance, 'though for the most part on bone, antler and synthetics. Synthetics, however, are without the subtle markings and coloration of the natural materials. Today, artists who want to work with the most prized natural material have to scavenge it from old piano keys and the like. International trade is banned in even objects pre-dating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Graphic IDs: http://www.knifeart.com/howbyrobweis.html
Descriptive IDs: http://www.uniclectica.com/conserva/ivory1.html
Care: http://www.knifeart.com/carbyamyflin.html
Narwhal's twist: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF8/895.html
CITES: http://www.cites.org/Scrimshander
Hergert: http://www.scrimshander.com/

Clinical Depression

Generally, Netsurfer's medical sites focus on relatively uncommon conditions. Far from an orphan disease, clinical depression affects about 19 million Americans. More than mere sadness or appropriate grief, depression can manifest itself in actions as acute as suicide or as chronic as unexplained fatigue. Sufferers may have trouble sleeping or they may sleep too much. They might lose interest in things, or they may be unable to concentrate on those things for which they can muster interest. Appetite may wane. Decisiveness might waver. The periodic appearance of any of these symptoms shouldn't be cause for alarm. But, if several of these symptoms appear and then linger, it may be a sign that you or someone you know is slipping into clinical depression. The causes can be biological or genetic, the product of events or illness. We've learned recently through experience not to ignore the signs. The National Mental Health Association offers extensive background and advice on the subject.
http://www.nmha.org/ccd/index.cfm

ANTHROPOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, ECONOMICS, AND GEOGRAPHY
All that we see or seem

Evolution, Again

Before we hear from the creationist watchdogs, we'll tell you what our position is. Does NSS believe in the Biblical version of the origins of life? No. We do, however, believe in its illustrative grace and power. (The only subject to provoke more correspondence was the NSS error that misplaced a college hoops team in a rival conference. Now, that was brutal.) In Science and Creationism, the National Academy of Sciences puts forward an authoritative synthesis of the issues involved. In our experience, many of creationism's criticisms of evolution are either inaccurate or outdated. The NAS deals with the most frequently cited arguments and discusses the problems. More than that, though, the Academy takes the very clear position that creationism "has no place in any science curriculum at any level". This site is the text of an Academy booklet that explains the current scientific understanding of biological evolution. The National Center for Science Education is a nonprofit organization with the sole mission of protecting the teaching of evolution against sectarian proponents of such propositions as scientific creationism. In addition to other services, the Center tracks legislation relating to the teaching of science.
National Center for Science Education: http://www.ncseweb.org/
National Academy of Science: http://bob.nap.edu/html/creationism/

Paleogeographic Atlas Project at the University of Chicago

A Triple-A trip planner probably wouldn't have done us a whole lot of good in the late Cretaceous period, what with the complete absence of France, the mountainous Kalahari, and that boggy old Horn of Africa. When educational networks offer up their mostly excellent series on dinosaurs, evolution, and geology, they often remind us incidentally that the Sahara was once an ocean. And, without sufficient explanation we can be left scratching our heads about how deep the waters must have been to deposit seashells on the slopes of Everest. The unspoken key, of course, is that Earth's surface has been slip-sliding around the planet since it first formed. Rio was once a relative stone's throw from Kinshasa. And, that form sailing away from the Cape of Good Hope? That was India, not the Flying Dutchman. The University of Chicago's Paleogeographic Atlas Project makes all clear. To get the full effect, you'll need the latest version of QuickTime.
http://pgap.uchicago.edu/

SCIENCE AND ART
Puttin' on the Ritz

Art Restoration: A Chemical Perspective

The Royal Society of Chemistry proves its standards with its own site, already referenced in this issue. It also sponsors a competition each year for undergraduate students offering their chemistry projects in Web-based presentations. The standards for the competition are very high indeed, and the society rewards entrants' work with a place on the society's own site. The 2001 winner is Emma Sharp of Kings College London. Her crisp exploration of the chemistry in art restoration is welcome. We've looked for just that subject before and been disappointed by the paucity of information. Don't stop with Sharp's sharp pages, though. And, in case you don't have the time now, you can be sure that we'll be referring you to some of the other winners over the next while. JUNK SCIENCE AND WORSE
Restoration: http://www.chemsoc.org/exemplarchem/entries/2001/esharp/default.htm
Exemplarchem: http://www.chemsoc.org/exemplarchem/

Your Name in Lights

Our advice for Valentine's Day: Hold off on buying your loved one that charming stellar real estate. We've all seen the ads for companies who'll name a star in honor of you or your loved one. The purchase includes a certificate and official registration, no less. "But we don't care", says the Royal Observatory at Greennwich and 'most every other official astronomical organization. It's not as if there's any shortage of nameless stars, but the fact is that the only people who'll ever call that third star to the left "Wendy" are you and the lovely Wend. There are rules for designating the names of celestial bodies. Commercial concerns that advertise in the back of magazines don't follow those rules. We like suggestions offered by Bob Martino, author of Buying a Star FAQ. Give the same sum to charity in your love's name. Then, head off down to Business Depot, buy some nice ink-jet certificate forms, and print one up naming your chosen star; it has the same official force as those issued by the star-naming hucksters.
How they really get names: http://www.ibiblio.org/ips/Starnaming.html
Royal Observatory Greenwich: http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/leaflets/name/name.html
Martino: http://home.columbus.rr.com/starfaq/

RESIDUE
We can't be sure what else is out there

Daylight Saving Time

Some Netsurfers are no doubt familiar with the frustrations of scheduling a conference call. Trying to account for time zones can be aggravating enough; then layer on daylight saving time. Who does? Who doesn't? Here's a site that answers those questions and more. Ben Franklin first proposed a daylight saving time while he was ambassador to France, but it didn't become a reality until the early 20th century. Some of the arguments against it were quaint. (Our favorite: What effect would it have on inheritance if twins born less than an hour apart were born before and after the clocks changed?) There's a small energy saving of about 1% in making the switch and people generally approve of having an extra hour of sunlight through the summer evenings. And, of course, there's that little issue of the northern and southern hemispheres (which, come to think of it, has always thwarted our best efforts to keep the time differences straight!).
http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/

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CREDITS

Publisher: Arthur Bebak Editor: Judith David Contributing Editor: Production Manager: Bill Woodcock Netsurfer Communications, Inc. President: Arthur Bebak Vice President: S.M. Lieu	Writers and Netsurfers: Jason Alderman Jonathan Baum Davide di Lazzaro Craig Kott Michael Luke Bruce Rappaport Elizabeth Rollins Roy J. Winkler
NETSURFER SCIENCE © 2001 Netsurfer Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. NETSURFER SCIENCE is a trademark of Netsurfer Communications, Inc.