The common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an important model organism, particularly in neuroscience research. The Virtual Fly Brain is an excellent resource for researchers who need to closely examine the fly’s neuroanatomy. Users can select an area from an image of an adult fly brain to discover more information about it, including a detailed description of the area, any synonyms used to describe it, and links to references. There is also a search feature for users who know the name of their brain region of interest but not its location. Additionally, image and template data are available for download. The current website only includes information for the adult fly brain, but an updated version including larval information is currently in testing and available for users to peruse. The Virtual Fly Brain is an excellent resource for neuroscientists using Drosophila to interrogate the structure and function of the brain.
Source: GenEngNews, Jan. 2019, vol. 39 (1) “Best of the Web”
Platform: iPhone/iPad/Android (2017 version available)
Cost:Free
“Human Anatomy Atlas 2018 is an excellent app that brings human anatomy to life. The app has beautifully rendered 3D images of the major anatomical systems that can be explored and dissected from the interface. However, the really interesting part of the app comes with the Augmented Reality feature. By allowing the app to use your phone’s camera, it finds a surface in your environment and places the anatomical model there, giving the impression that it is right in the room with you. This feature also allows the user to “dissect” the anatomical model, making this an incredibly useful accompaniment for anyone studying human anatomy. Human Anatomy Atlas 2018 is an incredibly designed and executed app that is not only informative but fascinating and fun to use, without the formaldehyde smell that typically permeates such an in-depth look at human anatomy.”
Efforts began with plants, animals and fungi. It appears now that microorganisms have been added, as they’d hoped. If one searches for tuberculosis, there are many hits, but many are not very productive. Searching on the Genus is the key – Mycobacterium. The site provides the NCBI ( National Center for Biotechnology Information) taxonomy for these organisms. There are many entries on Staphylococcus species. Not all hits will be productive, and they urge inquirers to request information.
There are tabs for: Overview, Detail, Data, Media (including some videos), Maps, Names, Communities (which include related EOL groups, e.g. “Birds of America”), Collections (on-line databases), Resources, Literature and Updates. These headings also serve as filters or limits.
I tried cardinal, but Cardinalis cardinalis —the scientific name, Genus and species — works best, if you are looking for our most common red bird.
There are data which indicate species to species interactions, from this site: http://www.globalbioticinteractions.org/ There are many links to many collections.
I looked up cedar and from starting to browse through <6400 entries, I soon (within the first page of 25) came upon Cedrus libani, and found much information, including a video about the restoration of the “Cedars of Lebanon”. The page steers one to many “traits” including the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) status, which is “vulnerable” for this tree: Its populations are declining. Searching can be a bit tricky. Scientific name works best.
“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]”
By Tyler Nix, Kathryn Funk, Jeffrey S. Reznick, and Erin Zellers
“A wealth of medical history awaits your exploration in the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) free and full-text digital archive of journals PubMed Central (PMC)! Known to most of its users as a free, full-text archive of recent biomedical journals, PMC also reaches back in time over two centuries.
An account of centralized health and relief agencies in Massachusetts during the 1918 influenza pandemic; an article by Florence Nightingale on nursing reform; a paper by W. H. R. Rivers on his treatment of “war neuroses” during World War I; a medical case report on America’s 20th president James A. Garfield, following his assassination in 1881; post-World War II thoughts about the future of the Army Medical Library by its director Frank Rogers; and seminal historical research articles aplenty: by Sir Alexander Fleming, on the use of penicillin to fight bacterial infections; by Walter Reed, on the transmission of yellow fever by mosquitoes; and by the bacteriologist Ida A. Bengtson, the first woman to work in the Hygienic Laboratory of the U.S. Public Health Service, the forerunner of the National Institutes of Health.”
Yale University published a book in November, 2013, entitled Shaping Humanity, by John Gurche. In the Daily Kos of Nov. 16, 2015, this wonderful video has resurfaced… which was produced to advertise the book at the time.
The people in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University want to make sure that you don’t accidentally poison your livestock or pets with toxic plants. Their Poisonous Plants database includes a sizable number of entries such as oak trees (the acorns and young leaves are poisonous to horses and cattle), Daphne (toxic to cats, dogs, and humans), and rhubarb (the leaves are toxic to goats, swine, horses, and even people—who knew?). Each entry is accompanied by images of the plants, as well as answers to questions that the authors have either encountered in the past or anticipate that readers may have. The database is simple to browse—either by scientific name or common name—or users can search the database by scientific name, common name, primary poisons, or species most often affected.
“InBrian Cox’s Wonders of Life(HarperCollins/William Collins; Gr 4 Up), the renowned physicist-cum-BBC host and Andrew Cohen take viewers around the world on an awe-inspiring trip to locations both forbidding and exotic while delving into the origins and mysteries of life on Earth. The app’s illuminating text and commentary, 1,000-plus high-resolution photos, numerous 3-D images, and hours of video clips will leave viewers with a profound respect for and curiosity about the diverse life forms and environs found on our planet, and inspire a desire to protect them. Up-close footage of numerous species is guaranteed to produce lots of “ooohhh…” moments.”
NASA Spinoff profiles the best examples of technology that have been transferred from NASA research and missions into commercial products. From life-saving satellite systems to hospital robots that care for patients and more, NASA technologies benefit society. There’s more space in your life than you think! › Get the iPad App →
Related:› Technology Innovation iPad App →
Images of Change
Human activities, a changing climate and natural disasters are rapidly altering the face of our planet. Now, with NASA’s Images of Change iPad application, users can get an interactive before-and-after view of these changes.
The NASA App showcases a huge collection of the latest NASA content, including images, videos on-demand, NASA Television, mission information, news & feature stories, latest tweets, ISS sighting opportunities, satellite tracking, Third Rock Radio and much more.
GEN’s “Best of the Web” for December, 2013, includes this review of a .org website for insect identification. (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News)
You must be logged in to post a comment.