~ Early Web Links ~

A scholarly resource from UCLA's CogWeb project exploring Theory of Mind (ToMM), the cognitive mechanisms humans use to attribute mental states like beliefs, desires, and intentions to others. Written by Francis F. Steen in 1997, it covers the groundbreaking work of Alan Leslie and Simon Baron-Cohen on autism, child development, and the evolutionary origins of mind-reading abilities.

Tim Tyler's essay from the Lotus Artificial Life site takes a critical look at the concept of the 'technological singularity,' arguing that exponential growth curves have no truly singular points and that futurists like Vinge and Kurzweil misuse the term. The piece is a thoughtful, technically grounded rebuttal complete with references to Kurzweil's graphs, Wikipedia, and related essays by other thinkers.

Thomas J. Elpel's plant identification hub teaches visitors to recognize wildflowers, weeds, and edible plants by learning the patterns of plant families rather than memorizing individual species. The site complements his book 'Botany in a Day' and includes slideshows, weed ecology, foraging guides, mushroom information, and online classes.

Plants For A Future (PFAF) is a searchable database of over 8,000 plants catalogued by their edible, medicinal, and other practical uses, making it an essential reference for permaculture enthusiasts and herbalists alike. The site covers topics ranging from food forests and carbon farming to rare and unusual perennial plants, with browsable indexes and habitat guides built up over decades by a UK-registered charity.

The TalkOrigins Archive is a comprehensive collection of articles, essays, and FAQs dedicated to presenting mainstream scientific responses to creationism, intelligent design, and evolution denial. Drawing from the long-running talk.origins Usenet newsgroup, it covers topics ranging from evolutionary biology and geology to abiogenesis, cosmology, and the age of the Earth.

A German-language gallery dedicated to Cryptocoryne and Lagenandra aquatic plants, featuring photographs and information about these popular aquarium plant genera and their hybrids. Enthusiasts of tropical water plants will find this a specialized visual reference for identifying and appreciating these fascinating species.

Ariu is a high school junior from Indiana whose personal site documents a remarkable range of pursuits, from Drosophila genetics research and healthcare legislation advocacy to an AI tool for school nurses. The site serves as a living digital portfolio of someone genuinely engaged in science, medicine, and civic life at a young age.

Bert Hubert's long-running article explains DNA biology through the lens of a computer programmer, drawing analogies between genetic code and software concepts like error correction, compression, and the halting problem. Originally written in 2001 and revised multiple times since, it became popular enough to spawn a two-hour conference presentation and an upcoming book.

Created by ichthyologist M.K. Oliver, this comprehensive reference site documents every cichlid fish species found in Lake Malawi, Africa, with scientifically accurate descriptions, photographs, and taxonomic data going back to 1997. Visitors can browse species alphabetically, by color pattern, or through picture galleries, and also find FAQs, a quiz, trophic adaptation guides, a bibliography, and maps covering this remarkable rift lake ecosystem.

Kaskakokos is a Spanish-language personal site from Cantabria featuring a section dedicated to local plant life, alongside writings and projects by the creator. The 'Plantas de Cantabria' section suggests a focus on regional flora, making it a charming mix of nature documentation and personal creative output.