The Latest In Dino Technology Most kids dig dinosaurs, right? Well, so do paleontologists! But they do more than DIG them. They spend hours in labs trying to understand the dinosaurs' lives on the ancient Earth. Why don't you pop into the lab and see what's being discovered these days at http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world.html. With this interactive site, you're in for a roaring-good time! Dinorama takes you through everything from excavating dinosaur skeletons to using computers in building models. Find out why dinosaur skulls are so fragile, watch the hatching of a dinosaur egg, and see why some scientists think these big lizards might really be related to birds. (Disclaimer: This site now contains advertisements.)
Good Vibrations Open your ears and get ready to be dazzled by an onslaught of pitches, harmonics and beats. By listening up at http://library.thinkquest.org/19537 you'll get the lowdown on everything from the history of sound to the properties of a sound wave. The Soundry explores the real-life applications of sound, including sonar devices and musical instruments. The sound timeline takes readers from the acoustic era to the digital '90s. Let your imagination run wild at the interactive sound lab; combine different sound waves, mix sound effects and create bizarre sounds. The View From Space When it comes to understanding how our planet works, who better to talk to than NASA? After all, they're looking at the Earth from outer space. NASA's Earth Science Enterprise Web site explores the weather and how it affects us. Shuttle out to http://nasascience.nasa.gov/earth-science and get a bird's-eye view of our home turf. Using satellites and high-altitude airplanes, NASA continues to investigate big floods, droughts and freezing winters. The site is loaded with way-cool information, including the hole in the ozone layer, global warming and rising sea levels in our oceans. Meet El Niño, the weather phenomenon that continues to baffle scientists, and find out how they are working to predict its next move.
1. What does the cochlea in the inner ear convert?
Dear Amy: What's the best search engine to use?--Darren, Minneapolis Dear Darren: Each of the major search engines gathers and organizes Web sites in different ways. Unfortunately, even the search engines such as Searchopolis at www.searchopolis.com for kids might contain stuff your parents may not want you to see, so be sure to ask permission before you search. Use Yahoo! at http:// yahoo.com if you want to look at broad categories and then click through the subcategories to find what you want. If you are looking for something specific, like a computer store, then go to Alta Vista at www.altavista.com. If you are not sure how to start, you can Ask Jeeves at www.ask.com. (The first site is no longer available.)
Dear Amy: I've been looking all over for a place to make a Web page. Please help!--Neal, Lexington, Ky. Dear Neal: If your own Internet Service Provider doesn't give you free server space, you may want to check out The Free Site at www.thefreesite.com to look for a free server site. They list the sites with a description of what each one offers. Some of them require you to put banner ads on your page or limit the size of your site. Ask your parents to help you make the right choice; then write me when you get your page going.