Resources for Life Sciences and Environmental Sciences

• World Wide Web Virtual Library:  Bio Sciences:  Extensive, categorized listing of web resources in the life sciences.  Some sections include out-dated links; others are reasonably up-to-date.

• Harvard Dept. of MCB-Biology Links:  A very well-selected set of links to biology resources on the Internet.  Provided by the Harvard University Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology.

• Bio Netbook:  Very useful search portal for resources in biology.  Allows flexible searching of a database of over 7000 web sites, covering all areas of biology.  (Institut Pasteur)

• National Biological Information Infrastructure:  Well-designed portal site for biological information.  Covers all areas of the biological sciences.  Includes links to hundreds of sites.  (collaborative site, maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey)

• The Bio-Web:  Molecular and Cell Biology Online:  Resource site for professionals in molecular and cell biology.  Includes news, links, products, etc.

• Science.gov: Government Science Portal

  • Science.gov-Biology and Nature:  Search-function page which gives access to a wide range of resources in the life sciences.

  • Science.gov-Earth and Ocean Sciences:  Search-function page for a wide range of resources on geology, climate, marine studies, etc.

  • Science.gov-Environment and Environmental Quality:  Search-function page for a wide range of resources on ecology, biological resources, pollution, etc.

• National Institutes of Health:  Useful site for medical-related information.  Emphasizes consumer information on its main page; the site map makes a more manageable starting point.

• National Science Foundation

  • Directorate for Biological Sciences:  NSF directorate concerned with funding biological research.  Includes research on genetics, ecology and biodiversity, evolution, etc.  Their site map is the easiest way to navigate the site.  Their News/Events page includes press releases, media tip sheets, etc. on NSF-funded activities.

  • Directorate for Geosciences:  NSF directorate concerned with funding research in three divisions--Atmospheric, Earth, and Ocean Sciences.  Their site map is the easiest way to navigate the site.  Their Reseach Highlights page includes press releases on NSF-funded activities.

• U. S. Geological Survey

  • Biological Resources Division:  Very useful page for information and resources on environmental and biological research.  The Biological Resources Expertise search page is especially valuable.

  • News Releases:  Articles covering the whole range of USGS activities.

• National Geographic Online:  The online presence of the National Geographic Society.  Includes a rich array of feature stories, news, educational materials, online maps, etc.

• National Museum of Natural History:  Home page for the Smithsonian Institution's NMNH.  Includes a wide variety of online exhibits, access to digital libraries, etc.  Covers biology, geology, anthropology, etc.

• actionbioscience.org:  Educational site focusing on bio-science "issues" and debates.  Includes materials for non-scientists on genetics, environmental concerns, biotechnology, etc.  Also includes extensive links to additional information, to advocacy sites and action groups, etc.

News Sites and Journals

• PubMed Central:  " PubMed Central (PMC) is the U.S. National Library of Medicine's digital archive of life sciences journal literature. Access to the full text of articles in PMC is free, except where a journal requires a subscription for access to recent articles."  Includes "80,000 articles from over 100 journals."  (National Institutes of Health)

• BioMed Central:  Online clearinghouse for open-access journals.  Includes over a hundred journals in the life sciences, all with some free content, many with full-text access.
• The Scientist:  Online version of the print journal.  Covers news, research, professional concerns, etc. in the life sciences.  Includes easily accessible archives of past isues.
• World Wide Web Journal of Biology:  Online peer-reviewed research journal.  Includes research articles from a variety of areas in biology.
• Conservation and Ecology:  "Electronic, peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary journal devoted to the rapid dissemination of current research."  Includes research articles meant to be accessible to readers in a variety of disciplines.  (published by the Resilience Alliance)
• Our Planet:  Online version of general-audience magazine from the United Nations Environment Programme.  Each issue has a specific environmental or ecological theme.  Recent themes include fresh water, the impact of globalization, hazardous chemicals, etc.

Evolution, Phylogeny, and the Origins of Life 

• The Tree of Life Web Project:  A "collaborative web project, produced by biologists from around the world. On more than 2600 World Wide Web pages, the Tree of Life provides information about the diversity of organisms on Earth, their history, and characteristics."  Very valuable page for information on phylogeny, taxonomy, evolutionary relationships, etc.  Also includes extensive links and references.
• U. of California/Berkeley Museum of Paleontology:  Well-designed site, with a rich array of online exhibits, educational materials, links, etc.  Very good as an introductory site, while having enough depth to go well beyond the introductory level.
  • Phylogeny Wing:  Includes "more than 235 individual exhibits, many with multiple pages. The wing provides a survey of biodiversity, focusing on major lineages of organisms."  Also includes an introduction to phylogeny, an explanation of cladograms, etc.
  •  Evolution Wing:  Traces "evolutionary thought as it has developed over time, pausing to ponder the contributions of scientists and thinkers including Aristotle, Darwin, Wallace, and many others."  Includes multiple exhibits, explanatory material, etc.
• The Talk.Origins Archive:  Actually an archive site for the Talk.origins Usenet group, concerned with the political/educational debate over evolution and creationism, but includes very useful background material on evolutionary biology, speciation, etc.
  • Introduction to Evolutionary Biology:  Fairly extensive and thorough introduction, written for general audiences.  Also includes references, a chart of geologic eras, and a basic phylogenetic table.  Language is controversialist in places, but on the whole it is quite useful.
  • 29+ Evidences for Macroevolution:  Presented in the context of the Talk.origins group's over-arching debate, but gives a wealth of useful detail on speciation, phylogenetic relationships, etc.
  • Observed Instances of Speciation:  Officially an FAQ, but presented in the form of an explanation of speciation and the nature of species.  Includes a wealth of examples and extensive references.
  • Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species:  Full text of Darwin's seminal work.
• Issues in Evolution:  Issue page from actionbioscience.org.  Presents material appropriate for non-scientists.  Includes multiple viewpoints on evolutionary theory, extinctions, etc., as well as links for additional information and for advocacy/involvement.
• National Center for Science Education:  An advocacy site, which includes resources and support for the teaching of evolutionary biology.  Has a useful links page.
• Human Evolution
  • Becoming Human: Paleoanthropology, Evolution, and Human Origins:  Elegantly designed site, whose centerpiece is a documentary narrated by Donald Johanson (famous for the "Lucy" fossils).  Also includes news, book reviews, an extensive and useful glossary, categorized links, etc.
  • Smithsonian Institution:  Human Origins Program:  Online exhibit on human evolution from the Smithsonian.  Well designed and rich in images.  
  • Evolution and Psychology:  Links:   Interesting links page for sources on the evolution of the brain, the development of consciousness, the roles of communication and communities, etc.  (U. of Waterloo)
• Origins of Life and Early Life (see also the Astrobiology section)
  • International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life:  Academic research organization.  Includes a useful Trail Guide to the origin of life, and material on the famous 1953 Miller Experiment.  
  • Origin of Life:  Web page for the New York Center for Studies on the Origins of Life ( a NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and SUNY/Albany).  Includes RealAudio files of radio shows intended for general audiences, useful glossaries of definitions and acronyms, and an educational module intended for the high school level.
  • The RNA World Website:  Web site focusing on the early development of RNA-based life as predecessor to DNA-based life.  Includes a wealth of links to resources, many of them technical.
  • The Geochemical Origins of Life:  Site by Prof. Michael J. Russell at the U. of Glasgow.  Clear presentation of his hypothesis regarding life's origin, the development of its primitive structure, etc.
• Extremophiles
  • Biology of Extremophiles Laboratory:  Web page from the Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie at Orsay.  Includes accounts of current research, links to articles, links to other web sites, etc.  Use the site map to navigate.  
  • Life at High Temperatures:  Online version of a booklet by Thomas D Brock.  Covers organisms living in environments of extreme temperature or extreme Ph levels in Yellowstone National Park.  Part of a course page for Bacteriology 303 at U. of Wisconsin/Madison.  The course page also contains very useful material on general bacteriology.

Genetics, Genomic Research, and Biotechnology

• The Human Genome:  Excellent introduction to genomics, genetics, and genetic technology.  Presented for general audiences, but includes considerable depth and detail.  (supporte by the Wellcome Foundation in the UK)

• Science.gov-Genetics and Molecular Biology:  Links to U. S. governemnt resources on genetics and molecular biology.  Includes resources on gene-sequencing, agricultural applications, stem-cell research, and a wide array of other topics.

• Genetics Home Reference:  Layperson's guide to genetics, genetic engineering, etc.  From the National Institutes of Health.  

• Nature:  DNA Discovery Focus:  Online special issue of the prestigious journal, on the 50th anniversary of the first publication of DNA structure.  Full access requires subscription, but quite a bit of material is publicly available.

• Dolan DNA Learning Center:  Education-centered site on genetics and DNA.  Includes very basic material, as well as some that is more advanced.  Includes sample nucleotide sequences, a variety of learning tools, a useful links page, etc.  (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
         

• Genomics

  • Nature:  Genome Gateway:  Free access to an extensive and well organized body of material on genomic research, from the journal Nature.  Includes a User's Guide to the Human Genome.  Probably the best place to start for background on genomics.

  • Science Magazine:  Functional Genomics:  Portal for a useful set of resources on genomics.  Most of the current articles listed from Science itself require a subscription, but the older content and the links to other sites are quite useful.

  • Human Genome Project (U.S. Dept. of Energy and National Institutes of Health)

    • DoeGenome.org:  Home page for the U. S. Dept. of Energy's Human Genome Project activities.  

    • Human Genome Project Information:  Detailed index to the resources available on the DOE Human Genome Project information pages.

    • NIH:  Human Genome Resources:  National Institutes of Health page for Human Genome information.  Includes an Interactive Tour of the Human Genome.

    • Joint Genome Institute:  "Operated by The University of California for The US Department of Energy."  Includes access to completed genome descriptions, news, educational resources, etc.  Some pages of the site are image-heavy and load slowly over a phone modem.

    • To Know Ourselves:  A Dept. of Energy introduction to the Human Genome Project.  

    • Genomics and Its Impact on Science and Society:  Dept. of Energy "primer" on genomics.  Basic introduction, written in layperson's terms.  2003 edition.

  • The Institute for Genomic Research:  Academic research organization.  Covers some news items, and a wealth of technical material.  Includes detailed information on sequenced microbial genomes, etc.

  • Issues in Genomics:  Issue page from actionbioscience.org.  Presents material appropriate for non-scientists.  Includes multiple viewpoints on genetic privacy, DNA patenting, etc., as well as links for additional information and for advocacy/involvement.

• Biotechnology

  • National Center for Biotechnology Information:  Program of the National Institutes of Health, which "creates public databases, conducts research in computational biology, develops software tools for analyzing genome data, and disseminates biomedical information."  Includes technical material and access to a wide array of databases, many of them available through the Entrez search and retrieval system.  Also includes a Science Primer and more general information.

  • Agricultural Biotechnology:  Searchable database of web sites related to agricultural biotechnology.  Very extensive and very useful.  (U. of Maryland & National Agricultural Library)

  • Biotechnology Dictionary:  Useful glossary of biotech terms.  Part of the Public Perception Issues in Biotechnology web site at Virginia Tech.  [Note:  Most of this site has not been updated since 1998, and none of it since 2000; however, the glossary is still useful.]

  • Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology:  Project funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, which "advocates neither for, nor against, agricultural biotechnology. Instead, the Initiative is committed to providing information and encouraging debate and dialogue so that consumers and policymakers can make their own informed decisions."  Includes research reports, tracking of legislation, etc.

  • Issues in Biotechnology:  Issue page from actionbioscience.org.  Presents material appropriate for non-scientists.  Includes multiple viewpoints on genetically modified crops, medical biotechnology, etc., as well as links for additional information and for advocacy/involvement.

  • Guide to Biotechnology:  Web site for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), a trade organization and lobbying group.  Provides useful information on the range of genetically modified products, on biotech companies, etc., along with a strong public relations component.

  • Council for Biotechnology Information:  Web site for a biotechnology trade organization.  Includes news, information on the use and growth of bio-engineered products, a links page, etc., along with a strong public relations component.

  • Modern Drug Discovery Magazine:  Publication of the American Chemical Society.  Covers "emerging trends and technologies in such areas as: genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, combinatorial chemistry, and high throughput screening."  Intended for professonals in the "drug discovery and/or life science research fields."

  • Genomics:  A Global Resource:  Industry-sponsored resource page on genomics and genetic research.  Includes coverage of genetic engineering in medicine and pharmaceuticals.  Currently being redesigned and expanded.  (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America)

Ecology and Environment

• General Portal Sites

  • World Wide Web Virtual Library:  Ecology and Diversity:  Very good portal site for web resources on ecological and environmental topics.  Covers sustainability, endangered species, habitats, environmental threats, etc.  Includes a useful categorized site index, as well as a site search engine.

  • EnviroLink Network:  Very extensive portal site for environmental issues and resources.  Easy to navigate.  Searchable, or browsable by category. 

  • Need to Know Library:  Ecology and Environment Page:  Categorized listing of web resources on ecological and environmental topics.  Intended for K-12 education, but clearly more broadly useful.

  • Digital Library for Earth System Education:  Portal site organized as a "library," supported by the National Science Foundation.  Well-designed, searchable database which includes links to thousands of resources in earth and environmental sciences.

  • Environmental Literacy Council:  Well-designed portal page for environmental education.  Covers a wide variety of topics, with links embedded in brief introductory or explanatory material.

  • Ecological Information Network:  Portal site from the Ecological Society of America and the National Biological Information Infrastructure.  Clearly organized and easy to navigate.  Includes a very wide array of online resources, with emphasis on biological areas (rather than climatological, geophysical, etc.)

  • World Wide Web Virtual Library:  Environmental Chemistry:  Specialized portal site for the chemistry of environmental issues.

• Reference Sites

  • AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment:  Very useful resource for environmental issues.  Focuses on the interactions between human populations and the environment.  Includes detailed maps along with extensive textual discussions.  Covers energy and natural resource consumption, climate change, food production, etc.

  • Resources for the Future:  Self-described as "a nonprofit and nonpartisan think tank located in Washington, DC that conducts independent research – rooted primarily in economics and other social sciences – on environmental and natural resource issues."  Founded in 1952.  Includes an extensive and wide-ranging collection of discussion papers, full research reports, congressional testimony, etc.  Also includes full-text access to all issues of  Resources magazine.

  • Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Environment:  Self-described as "a one-stop source of information, for younger and older users alike, on a range of atmospheric issues, including air quality, acid rain, global warming and ozone depletion."  Useful resource for general audiences, with articles categorized by age level.  Sponsored by U.K. Dept. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

• News sites

  • Environment News Service:  Self-described as presenting "late-breaking environmental news in a fair and balanced manner."  Probably the largest independent environmental news organization.

  • EnviroLink News Headlines:  Environmental news coverage from one of the most extensive environmental information portals.  

  • Yahoo News:  Climate Change:  News stories and feature articles on global warming and global climate change.  Includes both political and science news coverage.

• Government and International Agency Resources

  • Environmental Protection Agency:  Includes a rich array of resources on a whole range of environmental topics.  EPA documents have recently received damaging criticism for omitting or altering key information (apparently under political pressure), but many of the resources on the site are still quite valuable.  Use the "Key Topics" sidebar on the right-hand side of the main page to navigate quickly.  Takes a while to explore, but well worth it.

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:  Perhaps the web's richest site for climatic and oceanic information.  Covers climate change and weather, deep-sea exploration, satellite imagery, coastal environments, space weather, etc.  Includes educational material and general information, as well as much more technical material.  Takes quite a while to explore, but well worth it.

    • National Data Centers:  Very rich sources of hard data.  

    • NOAA Magazine:  Feature stories written for more general audiences.

    • Reports to the Nation:  Our Changing Climate:  General-audience document on global warming and climate change.  Sponsored jointly by NOAA and UCAR.

    • Reports to the Nation on Our Changing Planet:  Our Ozone Shield:  General-audience document on the status and future of the ozone layer.  Sponsored jointly by NOAA and UCAR.

  • United Nations Environment Programme:  Very useful site on U.N. and other international environmental activities.  Includes access to text of international conventions and treaties, news stories, online magazines, and other resources.

  • U.S. Global Change Research Information Office:  Clearinghouse for information on climate change and global warming.  Includes access to online publications and links to a large array of resources.

  • NASA's Global Change Master Directory:  Well-designed resource and portal site for data and background on global climate change.  Includes educational resources,  links to datasets, etc.

  • Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center:  NASA-supported site that provides access to population-related environmental and other information.  Includes valuable onsite resources as well as external links.  Particularly rich in remote-sensing data.  

  • National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center:  General-audience site concerned with health and safety impacts of environmental concerns.  Covers climate change, hazardous chemicals, radiation, etc.

• Societies and Advocacy Sites

  • World Resources Institute:  Web site for an "environmental research and policy organization" which professes a strong collaborative focus.  Covers biodiversity, food, climate change, etc.  Includes news stories and feature articles, access to full-text longer publications, a database-driven web portal, etc.

  • EcoWorld:  Advocacy site with considerable depth.  Covers all aspects of "green" technology, conservation, environmental politics, etc.  Includes news and feature articles, background pieces commentary, etc.

  • Union of Concerned Scientists:  Web site for advocacy group with a strong focus on science and research.  Covers a wide range of issues, from biotechnology and global warming to nuclear weapons and renewable energy.  Includes news and commentary, reports on research, etc.

  • Environmental Defense:  Web site for well-established advocacy group.  Covers biodiversity, climate change, etc.  Includes news and commentary, reports on advocacy efforts, etc.  Sponsors an environmental Scorecard page which grades states and areas on environmental conduct and policy, gives information on health effects, etc.

  • National Wildlife Federation:  Web site for one of the nation's oldest conservation advocacy groups.  Focus is on wilderness and wildlife conservation.  Includes news and feature stories, commentary, reports of organizational efforts, etc.