Despite remaining just an ominous floating object in the sky, the moon has played a large role in human history. One of the few things reliably visible during a cloudless night, the moon was enshrouded in mystery for much of history. For a period, it was revered as a...

As more and more atomic physics organizations go digital, the number of physics websites has increased dramatically. A huge number of institutes and projects find the web a perfect place to post studies, research, reports, groups, and experiments. The following is a collection of some of the best atomic...

Interested in developing a greater understanding of fuel cells? How about one day working in the complex and dynamic field of nanotechnology? Chemists today are at the forefront of exciting research in technology, medicine, and the environment. One of the largest degree granting programs in the nation, chemistry is...

For millennia humans have looked up at the night sky and tried to make sense of what they saw. And as tools have become more sophisticated, scientific methods more refined, and systems of knowledge more in line with empirical data, the modern science of astronomy has emerged. In this...

In 1991 Mt. Pinatubo, a formerly docile peak in the Philippine island of Luzon, erupted (see the PBS Nova article described below). The volcano spewed ash 16 kilometers into the air, caused over 500 deaths, and forced the evacuation of over 50,000 residents. Furthermore, the world temperature dropped by...

The human eye is an anatomical marvel that we use in nearly every aspect of our lives, from driving a car to reading a book, watching a ball game,  to identifying the faces of our loved ones. Many components work together in complex harmony to ensure a smooth vision...

Chemical engineers are expected to have a well-rounded knowledge of chemistry, the biological sciences, mathematics, and process optimization to solve workplace problems and design products efficiently, economically, and safely.  Whether you are currently teaching undergraduate classes, getting your masters degree, or juggling the two, take advantage of the resources...

Nothing captures national attention like a natural disaster, and few disasters have the potential to wreak as much havoc as an earthquake. Although most injuries and fatalities associated with earthquakes don’t come from the actual shaking of the earth itself, side effects are vast and violent. Earthquakes can cause...

According to NASA our solar system has 8 major planets, approximately 150 moons, a handful of "dwarf planets" (Pluto and Eris, for instance), and millions of observable objects like comets and asteroids.  Fathoming how expansive this solar system is can be a tough feat -- Neptune is 3 billion...

The field of biomechanics uses the principles of physics to understand the functionality of structures in a variety of biological systems. Many of the same research techniques and principles that are used in the science of engineering are also used in biomechanical research. These techniques are applied to the...

How did we go from scratching at the Earth for historical clues about people to the sophisticated geological laboratories of today? Geology describes the Earth and how it has changed over time, but indeed it took many centuries to reach a point where people had the scientific knowledge to...

According to the U.K.’s National Space Centre, there are nearly 8,000 Near Earth Objects (NEOs), or large bits of debris leftover from the formation of the solar system that pass within 45 million kilometers of the Earth: a hair’s breadth in astronomical scales. NEOs can be either asteroids or...

Any scientific pursuit requires knowledge of current research and emerging trends in the field to stay informed. Chemistry is no exception: thousands of papers are published each year in this one field alone. Many publications present chemistry research both in print and online to satisfy chemists' demand for knowledge....

The two dominant physical sciences, physics and chemistry, intersect in the world of physical chemistry. Dealing with the physical ramifications of chemical systems and chemical reactions, physical chemistry explores topics as diverse as colloid chemistry, reaction kinetics, and even the chemistry of astronomical bodies. In this brief introductory guide...

According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, there are roughly 3 billion base pairs in the human DNA strand, and almost every cell in our bodies contains a copy of this strand.  These chains of information provide the instructions for the development of human beings and all other...

The concepts of evolution are widely misunderstood outside the scientific community.  Fortunately, the web can serve to rectify some of these common misunderstandings.  In this non-experts' guide to evolution, we provide links to scholarly resources and educational sites that can help students and interested parties outside the world of...