May 1, 2009 (Vol. 29, No. 9)
URL:
http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/about/index.html
Rating:
Strong Points: Organization, many online resources
Weak Points: None
Summary:
“Who are the extremophiles?” asks one of the links on the right side of the page. No, they’re not skydivers or extreme skateboarders. Rather, these extremophiles are organisms that live under what humans would deem extreme conditions. (For instance, I generally try to avoid hangouts that are devoid of oxygen.) Extremophiles comprise one of the major themes found on this site—the other being marine microbial life. So, in one convenient location, one can get both a peek at the lifestyle of the piezophile and familiarize oneself with the foraminifera. In addition to offering a good deal of information about microbial critters, this site also provides educational information regarding lab techniques used by microbiologists (FISH—you won’t find this in the ocean!) and topics of interest in the field. Part of the National Science Digital Library, MLER is user-friendly and filled with information.