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Author Archives: Louise Deis
Earth Primer (fun) and Map of Life (for citizen science)
Best Apps for Teaching & Learning 2016 | American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
Earth Primer by Chaim Gingold
Level: Elementary and Middle School
Platform: iOS 
Earth Primer is a cross between an intro to earth science textbook and an interactive sandbox game. This creative application allows students to play with the powerful concepts that make up the physical aspects of our planet. Manipulate glaciers, volcanoes, biomes, weather systems, and more and experience how all of these structures combine to affect the makeup of our awesome planet.
Tip: Use Earth Primer to reinforce content in an earth science class.
Map of Life by Map of Life
Level: Middle School, High School
Platform: iOS | Android
Map of Life is a field guide applicable to anywhere in the world. Search species by category and/or location, and contribute to the map by recording your sightings in your location. Several categories of species are represented, such as trees, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Choose a type of species and view images, read about characteristics and habitat, and view a map showing range. Helps with conservation efforts worldwide!
Tip: Great application for classes using GIS data. Use Map of Life on science field trips to report wildlife and to identify plants and animals.
National Geographic enables free 8×11 printing of USGS topos
Here are some useful USGS map tips from Emily Wild, Hydrologist/Librarian at the USGS:
This may be of interest if you and(or) your library users are looking for an easy-to-use tool to search, download, and easily print (by using 8×11 printer) for topographic maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
– Examples of recent USGS Denver Library inquiries and instruction of USGS topographic maps include, but not limited to: outdoor recreation, emergency management, disaster planning, search and rescue, bureau of investigations searches and(or) instruction, military, educational outreach, citizen science, and so on.
– Go to the “FREE!! Printable USGS PDF Quads” web site available from National Geographic:
http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads
– Search selected area
– Click on thumbnail image of the USGS topographic map to open pdf
– Download and(or) print the pages,
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Just some quick reminders about features available for using USGS Topographic Maps:
– USGS Topographic Maps can be uploaded into Google Earth by using this USGS National Geologic Map Data Base (NGMDB) access point to search, download, and import the KMZ files : http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/maps/TopoView/
– The geopdf versions of USGS Topographic Maps can be annotated, measured, etc when users download the free TerraGo Toolbar : http://info.terragotech.com/download/terrago-toolbar
– Library users mention that the transparency feature and snapshot of all USGS topographic maps through time for a point on Earth are useful features in the USGS-ESRI’s “USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer”
http://historicalmaps.arcgis.com/usgs/
– the how-to is available online through GPO at : http://www.fdlp.gov/all-newsletters/community-insights/2045-tricks-and-tips-for-finding-and-using-usgs-topographic-maps
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And as an aside, many library users still find this map source useful for historical research of the United States :
Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States
http://dsl.richmond.edu/historicalatlas
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Enjoy the day/weekend,
Emily
Disclaimer: the use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Emily C. Wild
Librarian (Physical Scientist)
U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Library
Denver Federal Center
ph: (303) 236-1003
ecwild@usgs.gov
USGS Libraries: http://library.usgs.gov
Training: http://go.usa.gov/cBfmG
Profile: https://profile.usgs.gov/ecwild
Chemists to get their own preprint server
World’s largest scientific society plans to introduce ChemRxiv for a traditionally reluctant discipline.
- Daniel Cressey
11 August 2016
Nature DOI: doi:10.1038/nature.2016.20409
http://www.nature.com./news/chemists-to-get-their-own-preprint-server-1.20409
From Bob Buntrock (Princeton Class of ??) on the CHMINF Listserv.
Like arXiv and bioRxiv, ChemRxiv, hopes to facilitate the discovery and sharing of significant happenings in Chemistry. ACS is welcoming input during this planning stage.
PubMed is 20 Years Old
PubMed Celebrates its 20th Anniversary! | NLM in Focus
PubMed was first released two decades ago in January 1996 as an experimental database under the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) retrieval system. The word “experimental” was dropped from the website in April 1997, and on June 26, 1997, a Capitol Hill press conference officially announced free MEDLINE access via PubMed.More information, a brief history can be found here:
https://infocus.nlm.nih.gov/2016/06/30/pubmed-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary
PubMed Celebrates its 20th Anniversary! | NLM in Focus
“PubMed hit the milestone of 26 million citations; over one million citations are added every year.”
Viral Zone Best of the Web, Genetic Engng & Biotech News
Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
| Source: The Scout Report — Volume 22, Number 16
scout@scout.wisc.edu |
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| climate.nas= a.gov/climate_resource_center/interactives | |
| “NASA’ s Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet website features a diverse set of resources related to the measurement, analysis, and dangers of global climate change. Here readers will find a collection of Interactive Features all designed to bring to life the sometimes abstract conclusions of scientific articles on climate and its effects on human and other life on Earth. For example, the Climate Time Machine allows readers to go backward and forward through four different key climate indicators, including Sea Ice, Sea Level, Carbon Dioxide, and Global Temperature. Perfect for educators who are looking for impactful visual representations of the rising temperatures on the planet, the interactive makes these measurements visceral in a way that charts and graphs are seldom able to do. Other interactives on the page include the Global Ice Viewer, Quizzes, The Sun: A Virtual Tour, The Water Cycle, and others. [CNH]” | |
Scientists unveil a new Tree of Life
“Bacteria dominate newly drawn tree of life
Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Waterloo in Canada studied more than 3,000 species and pieced together bits of DNA to update the tree of life. The tree is dominated by bacteria, while all the eukaryotes are represented on a slender twig. The work is published in the journal Nature Microbiology.” The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers) (4/11)
APRIL 11, 2016
“A version of this article appears in print on April 12, 2016, on page D2 of the New York edition with the headline: The Tiniest Beings Writ Large.A version of this article appears in print on April 12, 2016, on page D2 of the New York edition with the headline: The Tiniest Beings Writ Large.”
From FBR SmartBrief <fbr@smartbrief.com> Wed., April 13, 2016
Data USA — Visualization of free public data — MIT
Website makes government data easier to find |
Steve Lohr writes: “For years, the federal government, states, and some cities have enthusiastically made vast troves of data open to the public. A project coming out of the MIT Media Lab seeks to harness that data and make it available to a wider audience. The project, called Data USA, bills itself as ‘the most comprehensive visualization of US public data.’ It is free, and its software code is open source, meaning that developers can build custom applications by adding other data.”…
New York Times, Apr. 4
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Climate Change and Extreme Events
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