Site of the Week
Extreme Science http://www.extremescience.com
Extreme Science is a site for curious minds, anyone who likes amazing things in general, but particularly for the budding young -ologists in the world.
It’s aim is to encourage appreciation of the ‘wow’ factor in science, and then to show where to look if you want to follow up on your curiosity. When, for example, you have found out that the Goliath beetle is the biggest insect on Earth, you’ll learn that it’s entomologists who study them. You can then find out about the entomologist who contributed to the site, and even send him your questions. You can also find out about how to get into science - what a degree is, and what PhD means.
The bulk of material in the site, though, is dedicated to the extremes of the natural world - the fastest animal, the oldest tree, the deepest ocean trench, and so on. And it doesn’t just end with a short paragraph and a picture. You can follow your nose and find out about the bizarre-looking creatures living down in the depths, and see how scientists managed to get down there. Finding out about Everest takes you to an explanation of plate tectonics, and the scientists who study it all.
Some may find the number of times the words ‘way cool’ are used a little annoying, and some will shudder from time to time at the occasional use of sentences like “…they are part of the checks and balances Mother Nature employs to eliminate the weak and sick so only the strong survive…” Some parts of science can be tricky to explain properly in understandable language, but it’s not impossible, and it would have been good to try. Overall, though, the amount of information you can get at and the enthusiasm for the world out there keeps you from getting too upset.
It’s a shame that, in general, only the biggest and fastest and most ferocious things get to be enthused about - some of the most amazing things are found in less obvious places. But you can’t pack everything into one website, and with what it covers, this one is way cool.
Richard Northover
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