Founded in 1982, the mission of Bat Conservation International (BCI) is “to teach people the value of bats, to protect and conserve critical bat habitats, and to advance scientific knowledge through research”. On their website, visitors will be able to learn about their advocacy and outreach efforts, along with learning more about these fascinating and important creatures. The “All About Bats”...

Nature documentaries and like-minded programs continue to fascinate the general public, and the demand for such material would seem to be almost infinite. While some may be most familiar with those shows that appear on television, there are a number of radio-based programs that are worth considering. One such program is the BBC Radio 4's own "The Living World", hosted by Lionel Kelleway. Described...

Ideas that change the world can be few and far between, so it's nice to learn about this fine digital collection from The Huntington Library. Designed to complement the renovated Dibner Hall of the History of Science at the Library, this site peers into the world of astronomy, natural history, medicine, and light. After reading a brief overview about the exhibit, visitors should click on over to...

This extensive, online Bibliography of Lake Malawi Biology is part of a larger scientific website titled The Cichlid Fishes of Lake Malawi, Africa (reported on in the March 4, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering) which is maintained by Michael K. Oliver. The regularly updated Bibliography has an emphasis on "the taxonomy of the lake's fishes and their ecology, evolution, and genetics, but...

The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) “is a consortium of natural history and botanical libraries that cooperate to digitize and make accessible the legacy literature of biodiversity held in their collections.” Partnering with the Internet Archive, these wonderful items have been brought together for consideration by the general public. All told, there are over 79,000 items in this collection...

Charles Darwin was a man of science and letters, and his library was impressive. This digital project created by the Biodiversity Heritage Library offers interested parties a virtual reconstruction of the surviving books owned by Darwin, and it includes over 330 titles. First-time visitors will want to read the introductory essay titled "Darwin's Virtual Library: History & Scope" before jumping...

The songs of spring are in the air, as northbound birds grace the skies. The following websites cover various aspects of the amazing and ancient phenomenon of bird migration. Hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, the (1) first site is an online publication from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the Migration of Birds. This publication provides an...

This Guide to British Bumble Bees is presented by the Natural History Museum in London. For beginners, the site offers the Quick Guide to the Big Six Species which "are widespread and abundant throughout most of lowland Britain." The Quick Guide is also available in a downloadable Wallet Card format for easy reference. The site contains concise, descriptive information about all British bumble bee...

Real science fairs can be great fun, but there's nothing wrong with a virtual science fair, and in the case of the Canada Virtual Science Fair, there's so much that's right. Started in 1999, the Virtual Science Fair is an annual online science and technology contest open to all Canadian students in grades K-12. While non-Canadians aren't eligible to participate, everyone can benefit from the...

Based at the University of Missouri, the Center for Applied Research and Environmental Systems (CARES) is committed to integrating "the social, physical, and biological sciences to better understand human, natural resource, and environmental issues and problems." Along with their scientific mission, CARES also features a strong community outreach component, and visitors can use the "Map Room" to...