February 15, 2007 (Vol. 27, No. 4)
URL:
http://www.digimorph.org/
Rating:
Strong Points: High quality images
Weak Points: Too little user control
Summary:
Funded by the National Science Foundation and hosted at the University of Texas, Digital Morphology is a “dynamic archive of information on digital morphology and high-resolution X-ray computed tomography of biological specimens.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. The opening page gives a hint to the contents inside, with high-resolution images of a suckermouth, a cormorant, a kingsnake, and an orangutan. Clicking on an image brings up a page with links to numbered videos showing various rotations of the structure, as well as slices through the organism. The quality is outstanding, but I’m disappointed at the lack of ability for users to manipulate the images (for example, rotating them to a desired angle and freezing them at that angle). Granted, the movies provide virtually every conceivable angle, but user controls are essential for future versions.
