The Earth is a powerful, active, and ever-changing planet. Earthquakes and volcanoes reshape the Earth's crust with sudden bursts of movement or with eruptions that last decades. Powerful storms develop in the swirling atmosphere, creating cumulonimbus thunderclouds, lightning storms, and even tornadoes or hurricanes. Geological features and moist…

A mention of "The Fungus Fighters: Two Women Scientists and Their Discovery" by Richard Baldwin and discovery of a huge fungus of the species Armillaria bulbosa and A. ostoyae are presented. Other aspects like fungal infections and shifting relationships are discussed.

Four skits depicting the difficulties faced by famous men and women in science for seeking fund for their research are described. It is a spoof on the History of Science.

The process used by scientists as they pursue research as a wheel with questions at the hub and various stages of the inquiry in a circular arrangement around the hub is described. It is noted that the process of scientific inquiry can begin from any stage and that stages may be revisited as often as the particular inquiry requires.

Contributes systematic data on the attitudes of scientific experts who engage in human genetics research about the pros, cons, and ethical implications of genetic testing. Finds that they are highly supportive of voluntary testing and the right to know one's genetic heritage. Calls for greater genetic literacy. (Contains 87 references.) (Author/NB)

The 2003 conference of the International Biodegradation and Biodeterioration Society (www.biodeterioration. org) and the International Biodegradation Research Group (www.ibrg.org), was held last September at the Manchester Metropolitan University. The conference, "Management and Control of Undesirable Microorganisms", followed the usual…

The author of this paper discusses the significance of Albert Einstein's concept of learning about "service of our fellow man" into the discussions about student achievement. Albert Einstein wrote in 1954 of what he considered an evil of modern life--that the "individual feels more than ever dependent on society, but it is not felt in the positive…

Scientists using NASA's Swift satellite say they have found newborn black holes, just seconds old, in a confused state of existence. The holes are consuming material falling into them while somehow propelling other material away at great speeds. "First comes a blast of gamma rays followed by intense pulses of x-rays. The energies involved are much…

It is important for students to understand that what they learn in science class is the product of the hard work of those who have come before them. It is the author's job to help them understand this work and to encourage them to be future contributors to the understanding of how nature works. As stated in the National Science Education…

While it is a commonplace in the historiography of electricity that itinerant lecturers and instrument makers were "somehow" part of the "electrical flare" of the 18th century, very little is actually known about them, about their background, their careers and their self-understanding. Yet, research focusing on these…

We report on a partnership between a librarian and two other community college teachers (a humanist and a social scientist) working to establish "networked courses" that use the model and techniques of collaborative teaching and learning in an interdisciplinary setting. In this partnership--and, in fact, in any interdisciplinary context--the role…

This study examined opinions toward research among biology faculty in Texas institutions of higher learning. The objectives of the study were to determine what the viewpoints of Texas biology faculty were toward research according to faculty rank and institutional type. Mailed questionnaire approach was used in this study to collect data.…

Various rural prevention research challenges have been articulated through a series of sessions convened since the mid 1990s by the National Institutes of Health, particularly the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Salient in this articulation was the need for effective collaboration among rural practitioners and scientists, with special…

Despite over 10 years of reform efforts, research still shows that students typically have inadequate conceptions of what science is and what scientists do. Many science students, as well as some teachers, use a single "scientific method" that, "proves a hypothesis" by systematic data collection. By following a prescribed set of steps, and writing…

To promote the use of scientific inquiry methods in K-12 classrooms, departments of teacher education must provide science teachers with experiences using such methods. To comply with state and national mandates, an apprenticeship course was designed to afford preservice secondary science teachers opportunities to engage in an authentic, extended,…