This site is a searchable encyclopedia of thousands of photos, descriptions, sound recordings, and other information about individual animal species. Find out about amphibians, arthropods, birds, fishes, insects, mammals, mollusks, reptiles, and sharks. Explore special features on mammals, skulls, and frog calls. Students are invited to contribute.
Podcasts of the Science Update radio show are available by subscription, or they can be streamed or downloaded directly from the website. These daily sixty-second radio features, sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), cover the latest discoveries in science, technology and medicine. Subscription podcasts are delivered each Friday directly to subscribers' computers. Archived shows dating back to December 2005 are available.
The Virtual Microscope is a full-fledged simulation that allows users to select and position slides, adjust lighting, magnification and focus, and measure specimens. A narrated demonstration is available to guide students through the steps required to bring a specimen into focus. There is also a checklist that indicates which steps have been completed successfully.