A
Big Little World
Ants appeared on Earth some 100
million years ago, and even became one of the planet's
most representative inhabitants, with social practices
that continue to amaze children, strategists, engineers,
psychologists and scientists alike.
These small creatures are the
object of study in the scientific discipline known
as myrmecology.
And it is no accident that they are the target of
investigation because the word ''ant'' describes approximately
20,000 species.
According to the scientific
classification, they are members of the family Formicadae,
of the order Hymenopteron. But their best-known trait
is that they belong to a group known as ''social insects.''
Ants build amazing homes
- ant's nests or anthills - where they establish communities
in which each member serves a purpose. Some theorists
say that these insects have thus been able to put
the idea of ''super-organism''
into practice.
Ant
colonies begin with the fertilization of the queen
ant. The fascination produced by the abilities, loyalty,
specificity and perfection of the ants' work has led
some people to develop the hobby of creating artificial
ant colonies in an attempt to get a closer look at
how they function.
On the Internet, there are portals
on ants, educational websites that cover the complex
existence of these tiny
creatures, and some sites that focus on certain
species, such as the fire
ants, considered a plague in the United States.
Portal:
Myrmecology.org
Portal:
Antcolony.org
Ants:
Photo Encyclopedia
Nova:
The Little Creatures Who Run the World
Ant
Information
Fire
Ants in the United States: Pest and Health Hazard
Light
Gives Life
Photosynthesis is essential for
all plant life on Earth. Millions of years ago, this
complex process arose as the key for triggering the
proliferation of organic life - and it is repeated
everywhere and every day.
Photosynthesis is the transformation
of solar energy and other compounds, such as carbon
dioxide and water, into the chemical energy that sustains
life. The resulting products are oxygen, which we
all know is vital for all living beings, and ATP (adenosine
triphosphate), source of energy for all organisms.
Plants play a leading role in
this process by storing chlorophyll, the compound
that makes the transformation of light into chemical
energy possible.
Information on photosynthesis
can be found
long and wide on the Internet. Some sites focus on
simple explanations of the amazing process, aimed
at schoolchildren,
while others provide a more
detailed look.
Directory:
Photosynthesis on the Internet
What
is Photosynthesis?
Hypertextbook:
Photosynthesis
International
Society for Photosynthesis Research
Alien
Explorers: Photosynthesis
Stormy
Flashes
Lightning flashes and thunder
are the components of an electrical
storm. The luminous sight of a lightning discharge
produces awe in those who observe it from a distance
- and has fed numerous myths throughout time. But
it is a dangerous beauty.
At any given moment, the
Earth's atmosphere is enduring some 2,000 electrical
storms, which means the planet's surface probably
is struck by lightning an incredible number of times
each day. One Internet site
dedicated to the phenomenon estimates that it occurs
100 times a minute.
So lightning is not a unique
occurrence, but that doesn't prevent it from being
mysterious. Though in modern times we are fully aware
of the electrical discharge occurring when lightning
strikes, few
understand its origins.
The starting point is a
fight between elemental forces, which in the case
of electricity is between negatively and positively
charged particles. Lightning flashes, which are electrical
discharges, occur inside a cloud, between different
clouds and, most spectacularly, between clouds and
the ground.
The negative charge usually
found in clouds reacts with the positive charges of
the Earth's surface. First comes the discharge from
the cloud, and then we see the lightning - the discharge
returning from the ground. Then we hear the sound:
thunder.
Exploring the world of
electrical storms you will find numerous websites
explaining the phenomenon, some with photos, some
specializing in research from outer space, and others
aimed at predicting the storms.
And there are many Internet
sites that hold information about the danger
of lightning. Though the chances of being struck by
lightning are incredibly low, deaths do occur. In
the United States, for example, an average of 90 people
die from this cause every year, more than are killed
by hurricanes or tornadoes. And those who survive
a lightning strike - which are the majority - can
be left with physical or emotional scars from the
incident.
The Internet holds testimonies
about the effects of this atmospheric phenomenon and
also provides recommendations for avoiding becoming
the next
victim of a lightning storm.
American
Scientist: The Mystery of Cloud Electrification
Lightning:
The Under-rated Weather Hazard
Kids'
Lightning Stories
NASA:
Lightning Detection from Space
USA
Today: Understanding Lightning
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