This uninspired site about electric vehicles (EVs) provides snippets of the thrice-a-year print publication of the same name. With short articles about the latest developments in EV technology and links to manufacturers' EV home pages, Electrifying Times serves as a good starting point to see how major automobile makers are preparing for the wave of the future. Unfortunately, the articles aren't incredibly informative and serve merely as a teaser for the print version. The site also contains a lot of pseudo-science, such as a piece on anti-gravity technology, stolen from UFOs, that has allegedly been in use for the last 50 years. Uh huh. - Mike Hase
Ever notice how most pretty sites take up so much bandwidth you could do six loads of laundry while waiting for a page to load? For a refreshing change of pace, check out The National Aquarium in Baltimore. Aesthetically, sites don't get much better than this: The design and interface are not only attractive, they also work well together. Plus, the modest use of new technology is well integrated and doesn't clog download times. Obviously, the site's content revolves around what's happening at the National Aquarium, but there are also some online-specific features that will keep you coming back for more, including an educational section on setting up your own aquarium and information on the National Aquarium's ongoing efforts to preserve ocean flora and fauna. - Katherine Clary Alward
The welcome page states, "If you are looking for information on climate change, the greenhouse effect, or global warming, you've come to the right place." It's not kidding. With slide shows, fact sheets, technical reports, and over 70 links to other sites, this EPA site delivers a thorough education on the coming catastrophe. Learn fascinating facts--an iceberg the size of Rhode Island broke off of Antarctica last year--and conclude for yourself that we are all undeniably screwed. So buy up that soon-to-be-beachfront property in Nevada, then sit back and enjoy the show. - Mike Hase
Informative Graphics has produced one hell of an ad for its "Insight" series of software, which allows you to tour the innards of various things, such as an automobile or a human body. The Web site demonstrates the software for human anatomy through a virtuoso performance in the seamless use of Frames and Java. While exploring the body through the use of sensitive maps, you can get descriptions and close-up views of the body part of your choice. The ease of use and completeness of this site make such traditional texts as Gray's Anatomy seem utterly silly and useless. - Mike Hase
While some might think arid lands a rather dry topic (sorry), the Arid Lands Newsletter, published by the Office of Arid Lands Studies at the University of Arizona, proves otherwise. The semiannual electronic publication caters to an international audience of arid-land researchers and policy makers. Each issue provides in-depth coverage of a particular topic, such as desertification, unusual desert wildlife, or the joys of building with adobe. Along with the text come breathtaking pictures and lists of relevant links, which round out an excellent overall resource for anyone interested in the topic. Approximately two years of back issues are archived on-site. - Mike Hase
As evidenced by The Online Planetarium Show, the quality of Web sites has begun to reach absurdly high levels. This stunningly beautiful, insanely informative online exhibit takes you on a guided tour of images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Along the way, the authors disseminate detailed knowledge about astronomy while imparting their obvious love for the subject. Not only will you read about astronomy at this site, you'll also take side roads to Roman mythology and biographies of the pioneers of modern astronomy. If you have even the vaguest interest in astronomy, do not miss this site. - Mike Hase
You've got to really dig amphibians to enjoy this site. The North American Amphibian Monitoring Program's (NAAMP) mission is "to monitor the distributions and relative abundance of amphibians in North America." In other words, the program counts frogs. The NAAMP doesn't concern itself with displaying funky frog photos; instead, it discusses weighty statistical issues, migrating populations, and so forth. Predictably, this program desperately needs volunteers, and most of the site's pages contain a volunteering pitch. A collection of papers from a recent online frog conference should sate the amphibian-counting specialist while boring everyone else to tears. Unless you feel an urge to count some frogs, you'll probably want to skip this one. - Mike Hase
In 1950, Jacques-Yves Cousteau purchased the Calypso, a former minesweeper, and turned her into an oceanographic vessel; he has been pestering aquatic life ever since. Although Cousteau's contributions to our understanding of the sea cannot be denied, the Cousteau Society Web site leaves something to be desired. I came here expecting beautiful shots of underwater life--sort of an online PBS show. Alas, all I found were extensive histories of Cousteau, the Calypso, and the Cousteau Society. The section on recent expeditions was mildly interesting, but all in all, Equipe Cousteau is no exotic trip through the underwater wilderness. - Mike Hase
I imagine that wildlife researchers can't get enough of this place. Under the auspices of the Department of the Interior, the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center gathers and analyzes data to help address the problems involved with managing our biological resources. This no-frills leviathan of a site contains reams of papers, articles, and data generated by the Center and its affiliates--this stuff delves into the nitty-gritty of wildlife conservation. If you're just looking for pictures of cute, furry critters, you'll want to steer clear of this site; but if you want to see all of the hard work behind maintaining our natural resources, go have a look. - Mike Hase