The Life of Mammals [Flash, RealPlayer]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/mammals/
The Life of Mammals is a new 10-part BBC Nature series hosted by David Attenborough. This "biggest ever wildlife series devoted to mammals" has a suitably enormous companion Web site, which offers more interactive, multimedia features than you can imagine. Video previews, quizzes and challenges, Web cams, in-depth articles, recommended books -- the list goes on. Mammalian social behavior, body shape, intelligence, diet, and habitat comprise the main themes of this Web site, presented with so much dazzle as to cast aside any doubt that we as mammals find ourselves endlessly fascinating. Particularly engaging are the Web cams, including one for Margot the mouse and her new brood (born January 12, 2003). [RS]
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America's Ten Most Endangered National Parks
http://www.npca.org/across_the_nation/ten_most_endangered/
To increase awareness of the problems that threaten all US national parks, the National Parks Conservation Association (NCPA) presents its 2003 list of the ten parks in "most need of immediate attention." For each park listed -- from Big Thicket to Yellowstone -- NPCA describes the park and its particular problems, while encourages readers to help in achieving a solution. The section titled What You Can Do offers concrete suggestions for public participation, such as writing letters to public officials (information and Web forms are provided). [RS]
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Spices: Exotic Flavors and Medicines
http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/spice/index.cfm
This elegantly simple Web site demonstrates how the spice cabinet and the medicine cabinet are often one and the same. In exploring "the many facets of spices," this Web site from the Louse M. Darling Biomedical Library at the University of California-Los Angeles describes the general history, geography, and diverse uses of spices and culinary herbs. Plant specific information is also available; each of the over two dozen herbs and spices has its own Web page of detailed botanical, medicinal, and historical information. [RS]
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Nature: The Mouse Genome
http://www.nature.com/nature/mousegenome/index.html
This Web site from the journal Nature offers a one-stop online resource for information on the mouse genome -- "the experimental key to the human genome." Visitors have free access to all content from the journal's special mouse genome issue. Web features include an interactive timeline detailing the history of the mouse in genetics, related news articles and commentary, Web links, and more. Scientific papers and letters to Nature are also available for those who would like to delve into the subject at depth. Additionally, the site provides a selection of classic research papers free to registered users until March 5, 2003. [RS]
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Avocado Information [QuickTime]
http://www.ucavo.ucr.edu/
To borrow shamelessly from Benjamin Franklin, guacamole is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. The Agricultural and Natural Resources people at the University of California-Riverside would seem to agree. In this Web site devoted solely to the lovely avocado, readers can learn all about the history and horticulture of this subtropical fruit (that's right -- fruit). Features include time-lapsed videos of avocado flowering, another video on how to correctly prune a small avocado tree, a "short" history of how the avocado got its name (actually a rather complicated etymological journey), basic horticultural information, and more. [RS]
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The United States National Arboretum: Invasive Plants
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/invasives.html
The US National Arboretum offers this straightforward guide to invasive plants that gardeners and property owners in general should watch for. The Web site begins with an explanation of what the term "invasive" really means, followed by photos and descriptions of species to avoid planting altogether (such as purple loosestrife), and those that are less problematic if managed wisely (like English ivy). The site also describes the origin and current distribution of some of the most commonly encountered invasive plants, and provides Web links for further information. [RS]
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Menopausal Hormone Therapy
http://www.nih.gov/PHTindex.htm
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides this compilation of Web links for important information on the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy. The links lead to relevant NIH Web pages, including the most current NIH research on the subject. Topics covered range from NIH's Women's Health Initiative estrogen/ progestin hormone therapy study to the use of black cohosh as an alternative therapy to osteoporosis and ovarian cancer. A useful and well-organized resource. [RS]
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The Red Kite
http://www.gigrin.co.uk/redkite.html
The Gigrin, a family-run sheep farm in Wales with a conservation mindset, offers this Web site devoted to the red kite, a small raptor that humans have attempted to protect longer than for any other bird species in the world. Readers can expect a solid introduction to red kite natural history, and an encouraging example of conservation by private landowners. The main Web page provides a general background information about the red kite, including a short audio clip of a red kite call. The following pages contain photos, detailed descriptions of nesting and feeding habits, and links to other organizations involved in protecting the red kite. [RS]
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