The website is generally made for those who want to learn more about science in an easier way. Articles and news are laid out to be understood by an average person who may or may not know anything about science. Specific articles are categorized into general topics for less confusion or for effortless searching. An example of this is the article entitled “A Glacial Warning” (Goodall, 2006) under the general category of Earth.
It showed the dramatic change of the glaciers in Uganda, East Africa, particularly on Rwenzori Mountains, in June 2003 and January 2005. This change is attributed to the worsening condition called global warming, which alters the climate and affects glaciers and its surrounding environment not only in East Africa but also in other parts of the world including Antarctica and Greenland (National Snow and Ice Data Center).
The article indicates the reason why global warming is taking effect and how it can lessened by simple means. Although it is concerned about climate change, the article fits the general category of Earth because it discusses transformation on land brought about by the change in the atmosphere. Other examples in this category include articles about earthquakes, sand dunes, and sandcastles. There is also a general category for Technology, which contains articles regarding quantum computing, nanotechnology, and robots.
The relationship between the general categories and its articles are clear. Every article is about science but these were divided for easier navigation. Fifteen random facts are listed and categorized where it is thought to be appropriate. The categories include man, nature, earth, and machines. In the general category of earth, the random fact generator states that: the annual mean temperature at the Antarctic South Pole is -56. 7 degrees Fahrenheit (-49.
3 degrees Celsius); and Patagonia became extremely popular for reclusive celebrities during the 1990s that at one time, it was said that 350 foreigners owned a part of the region. In the category of machines, a fact states that: a chest x-ray machine consists of 90,000 to 130,000 electron volts; the Black Box flight recorder was first invented in 1958 at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories, Melbourne, Australia and it is an orange color; and Grand Prix racing motorbikes can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2. 7 seconds.
For the category of man, it is estimated that by 2020, HIV will have caused more deaths than any disease outbreak in human history and, by 2021, more than 150 million will be infected worldwide; Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martinez set out the record for the longest engagement, whom after dating for 67 years, tied the knot at the age of 82; for his self-coronation on December 4, 1977, Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire (now Republic) commissioned pearl-studded shoes from the House of Berluti, Paris, France, costing a record US $85,000; and each year, people in the United States spend more money on dog food than on baby food; and the skin of an average adult weighs 6 pounds (2. 7 kg).
In the category of nature, the random fact generator states that: microorganisms are able to survive on the cooling rods of a nuclear reactor; tigers possess striped skin and not just striped fur; infrared cameras are not able to detect Polar Bears due to their transparent fur; a giant squid can grow up to 12 meters long and weigh 500 kg; and it would take an entire lifetime for 12 bees to make one tablespoon of honey. There were dozens of facts that the random fact generator produced just by clicking the icon on the website. The facts that are categorized under earth are placed there because they talk about land changes and other information regarding the different places on earth. The facts that fell under the category of machines give information about the different tools that humans use.
The facts under the general category of man are so placed there because they discuss things about humans and the activities that they are involved in their everyday lives. Lastly, it was decided that the facts under the category of nature be placed under the same because they mainly talk about the different species of animals and insects on earth and the effects they bring to their environment.
First Science. (2006, October 6). A Glacier Warning. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from http://www. firstscience. com/home/articles/earth/a-glacial-warning- page-3-1_1739. html National Snow and Ice Data Center. All About Glaciers. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from