Site of the Week -- June 19, 2000
ars addicts who long to stand beneath the planet's pink sky and hike around its massive geological wonders will discover kindred spirits at the Mars Society's official Web site.
Red Planet aficionados visiting the site can find the latest news about Mars, chat with other future Martians online, sign a petition in favor of exploration, and learn about the Society's myriad projects and plans. Fans can even buy a copy of the Martian flag (which consists of red, green and blue bars, representing the steps in the planet's terraformation).
The site has the standard bylaws, constitutions and chapter listings that visitors would expect to find on an organization's home page, but there's a scientific fervor running through even its most mundane elements. The constitution is a classic example. It spells out the group's goals in plain English while providing an awe-inspiring vision of the Red Planet's future.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- June 12, 2000
lthough the British have many SF shows of which to be proud, from Doctor Who to Blake's 7 and Star Cops, some British fans profess an undying love for those wholly American offerings The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. So they've created The Six Million Dollar Site, home of all things bionic.
Seekers of bionic info should begin in the "Series Premise" section, which traces the history of both shows, from their origin in Martin Caidin's novel Cyborg to the reunion TV movies. There's a thorough guide that outlines every episode, with pictures. The links page is well annotated, and it rates other sites on a scale of one to ten. There's also a news section of current bionic happenings (yes, there are current bionic happenings), biographies of the main characters and an international schedule of air times. The multimedia section includes dozens of audio and video downloads and a special gem--a Six Million Dollar Man comic strip from 1977. Trippy!
A few special features raise this site to a level well above the average fan shrine. First, there's the "Episode of the Month," a series of nicely written and sometimes funny essays that examine key events of the saga. Then there are the "Who Was That Face?" pages, which profile famous and not-so-famous guest stars on the show, such as John Houseman and Pamela Hensley (Princess Ardala of Buck Rogers).
This site is so well organized and informative, it's worth at least $60 million.
-- Blaise Selby
Site of the Week -- June 5, 2000
Every week, veteran National Public Radio science correspondent Ira Flatow hosts "Science Friday," a two-hour radio show that covers everything from the topical (controlled fires, environmental politics) to the practical (memory and sleep) to the theoretical (why does antimatter matter?). Flatow introduces the attention-getting topics and then shepherds them through a lively panel discussion with top authorities.
For those of us who can't get "Science Friday," or who listen to NPR less than we should, there's the Science Friday site. This official Web site features information on upcoming programs plus searchable archives detailing topics, guests and related books and links for every show since 1994. Best of all, most programs are available in RealAudio, so that hearing about a favorite topic, whether it be dinosaurs or DNA, is a click away.
The site includes a bookshelf, where listeners can find books discussed on the program (and purchase them through the inevitable link to Amazon.com). These are not hardcore science texts, but rather selections--fiction and nonfiction--as vibrant and offbeat as the show itself. Science Friday also features a long page of links to science-related sites, as well as an extensive feedback area, where listeners sound off on things like SETI and solid waste.
Looks like science isn't just for Fridays anymore.
-- Mark Wilson
