Schools and Organizations

1. American Institute of the History of Pharmacy: The documentation and preservation of pharmacy’s heritage is the primary aim of the Institute.
2. Departmental History: A short history about the McGill University and its Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, which dates back to 1824.
3. Department of Biological Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology: Harvard University offers a short history about their features.
4. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology: Indiana University goes into detail by decades illustrating their history and impact on the pharmaceutical industry.
5. History of Department of Pharmacology: The Department of Pharmacology in Temple University School of Medicine has a long and proud tradition that dates back over 95 years.
6. History of Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology in the Department: This short history, which notes faculty members, comes from the Yale School of Medicine.
7. History of Nuclear Pharmacy: This is a short illustrated history of the engagement with nuclear pharmacy from Purdue University.
8. History of the Southern College of Pharmacy — Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy: Resources from the Pharmacy School archives, housed in Swilley Library on the Cecil B. Day Campus of Mercer University, were used to create this history.
9. International Society for the History of Pharmacy: The International Society for the History of Pharmacy was founded 1926. The society is established to form an international center for handling all matters of a pharmaceutical historical nature without commercial interests.
10. The American Pharmacists Association: A short history: Founded as the American Pharmaceutical Association in 1852, APhA today represents more than 60,000 practicing pharmacists and others interested in advancing the profession.
11. UAMS History: The University of Arkansas provides an illustrated history about their Pharmacology and Toxicology Department.

Articles

12. A Brief History of Great Discoveries in Pharmacology: Written in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the founding of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
13. A brief history of pharmacology: Stanley Scheindlin, D.Sc., wrote this article and provided several suggested readings.
14. A history of: The pharmaceutical industry: A brief, yet relevant history of the Pharm Industry by Robin Walsh, a freelance writer on healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry.
15. A Recent History Of The Pharmaceutical Industry – Based On All Five Force: This content comes from The New Business Road Test by Professor John Mullins of the London Business School.
16. History of Pharmaceuticals: The HealthCare Institute of New Jersey provides this article about pharmaceuticals.
17. History of the Pharmaceutical Drug Business: The Drug Trust: This article covers the drug business in 1987, showing that the U.S. maintained an “overwhelming lead in the production and sale of drugs.”
18. How the American pharmaceutical industry transformed itself during the 1940s [PDF]: This history offered by the Center for Culture, Organization, and Politics, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley.
19. John Jacob Abel: The Fifth Horseman: Also known as “the father of American pharmacology.”
20. The History and Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Industry [PDF]: This report provides an analytical strategic review of the pharmaceutical industry; it’s origins, evolution, development and competitive environment within which it operates and the strategic issues facing the industry.
21. The Pharmaceutical Industry [PDF]: This is chapter nine in the book, Against Intellectual Monopoly, by Michele Boldrin and David K. Levine.
22. The Truth About the Rockefeller Drug Empire: The Drug Story: Taken from the CIVIS Foundation Report number 15, Fall-Winter 1993 CIVIS: POB 152, Via Motta 51-CH 6900, Massagno/Lugano, Switzerland.

Industry History

23. Bayer History: A timeline of biographies notable to the history of Bayer AG.
24. Bristol-Myers Squibb History: This timeline shows how this company traced their beginnings back 150 years to a brick building in Brooklyn, New York.
25. Eli Lilly and Company History: Eli Lilly and Company has been in business more than 132 years. The global, research-based company was founded in May 1876 by Colonel Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Ind., in the Midwestern section of the United States.
26. FDA History: The Food and Drug Administration is the oldest comprehensive consumer protection agency in the U. S. federal government.
27. GlaxoSmithKline History: Enjoy this timeline that shows how this industry grew from a modest London pharmacy in 1715.
28. GPhA Industry History: The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) itself was founded in 2001, following the merger of three industry trade organizations: the Generic Pharmaceutical Industry Association, the National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and the National Pharmaceutical Alliance.
29. Our History — How it Began [PDF]: Proctor & Gamble documents the history of their corporation in this one-page file.
30. Pfizer History: This history of Pfizer includes a timeline and a “Gallery of Leaders” that spans over a century, since 1849.
31. The history of Merck: Information about the history of the oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company in the world, and a link to an interactive “voyage through Merck’s history.”

Miscellaneous

32. A History of Pharmacy in Pictures: This slide show, located online at the Washington State University, is taken from the book, Great Moments in Pharmacy, by George A. Bender.
33. Drug Industry Document Archive: Most of these previously secret internal documents were made public as a result of lawsuits against a number of pharmaceutical companies.
34. History of the War on Drugs: This timeline shows how politics played a part indrug regulation.
35. Pharmaceutical Industry Overview: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides a detailed analysis of this industry.
36. Pharmaceutical industry: SourceWatch provides a wiki entry on this industry, including a long list of articles and drug manufacturers.
37. Pharmacy Museum: An inside look at the museum, housed at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. The museum opened in 1966 in the old Pharmacy/Microbiology building on Main Campus and was moved to the current College of Pharmacy Building at the Arizona Health Sciences Center in 1982.
38. The Animal Experimentation Scandal: Animal experimentation is an issue that has been the center of controversy for almost two decades.
39. The War on Drugs, A Brief History: This 2009 article in Time online states that “within the past 40 years, the U.S. government has spent over $2.5 trillion dollars fighting the War on Drugs.”
40. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 1970 – 1975: This history details the DEA’s perspective on federal drug law enforcement in the early 1970s.

The following links are categorized alphabetically.

Managing Your Twitter Account and Stream

1. Cadmus Real Time Twitter Service manages your stream and organizes content in order of relevance since the last time you checked in. This way you won’t get that feeling of “too many posts” and you can catch up on what you missed. It groups similar posts into threads and puts the most important ones at the top.
2. Manage Twitter — Fast & Easy Unfollowing. This is a Twitter account management service that allows you to clean up and manage who you follow. Easily search inside your stream to find out who isn’t following you back, and which inactive accounts you are currently following.
3. Qwitter: Catching Twitter Quitters sends you an e-mail when someone stops following you, helps to identify spammers, and offers Qwitter Therapy if you become sad about being unfollowed.
4. The Twit Cleaner analyzes the people you follow, finds time-wasters, spammers, the boring, bots, and offers a detailed report on everyone you’re following. It thus enhances your personal image by showing you have discretion, and it helps you focus your time and energy.
5. Tvvitterbug 1.5 helps with many aspects of your Twitter account. You can manage different accounts (up to five), tweet from wherever you are, tweet as long as you want (your tweets will be automatically divided into 140-character chunks and automatically put in order to read from top-to-bottom), include photo and video, embed shortened URLs and much more.
6. Twitter Followers Statistics by TwitterCounter tracks statistics of over 10 million Twitter users. Simply enter your username and click “Show Me” to receive your number of followers, number of tweets, Twitter rank, most popular Twitter users, predictions, and more.
7. Welcome to HootSuite — The Professional Twitter Client is a “social media dashboard.” You can manage multiple Twitter profiles, pre-schedule tweets, work with a team, share data and access without sharing passwords, track your results and measure your success.

Managing Tweets and Content

8. #earthtweet from Brighter Planet is an easy way to send out eco-news (environmental news). Just include the #earthtweet hashtag on your environmental tweets, and then pay attention to what others are saying.
9. Tawidget creates an events widget for your Web site so you can share the event on Twitter.
10. Tvider — Share your pictures / videos /audio on Twitter! You may record with your Webcam or browse your computer’s files for pictures, videos, or audio to share on Twitter.
11. Twuffer — Schedule Twitter tweets allows you to compose a list of future tweets and schedule their release to the Twitterverse. You might, for example, tweet ‘milestone’ or ‘appointment reminders,’ or tweet pre-written announcements, run a scavenger hunt that is timed, notify people of an upcoming podcast, or just make it appear that you are always on the job.
12. Your tweets where you want them — AddTweets is a service that allows you to plug your latest tweets into a blog or Web site. It uses a small piece of JavaScript code. Choose up to ten tweets at a time to display.

Manage Other Tweets

13. My Tweet Map shows where your friends are tweeting from. Information updates every minute.
14. monitter — live, real time Twitter monitor | free live Twitter imbed widget. This service lets you “monitter” the Twitter world for a set of key words to see what people are saying. Enter three words and start seeing relevant tweets. You can imbed a widget and follow monitter on Twitter.
15. TweepML allows users to share groups of Twitter users (“Tweeps”) through an extensible open standard format. This site also allows users to follow a Twitter list directly instead of following the list itself.
16. TweetMeme — Search and Retweet the Hottest Stories on Twitter. This service gathers together and sorts the most popular links on Twitter so you can retweet them.
17. Twiblend allows you to bring tweets together to make a conversation. Grab tweets from anywhere, drag and drop them to make a conversation, and then you may share them on your site using a widget.
18. TwitCause by experience project enables people to support causes via Twitter and enables nonprofits to get recognition. TwitCause joins Twitter as a delivery system with the intimacy of The Experience Project, where people may share stories about any life experience. Follow @TwitCause to keep up with what’s happening, retweet, or donate directly — three ways you can help.
19. Twittervision is a service that shows live twitterfeed (with photos) from around the world.

Different Tweeting Experiences

20. Bet Your Followers: Cause a stir in your social circle! Use your scientific mind and compute the odds, then play this Twitter game where you wager your followers as currency! Hundreds of thousands of followers have already been won and lost.
21. GroupTweet allows you to post a message to members of a group using direct messages. These are converted into tweets that followers can see. If you want your group’s updates to be private, you can protect your group account on Twitter.
22. Post Like a Pirate converts your tweets into Pirate speak. Not very scientific, but maybe fun?
23. SneakyTweet is a Twitter client app for the iPhone, iPod and iPad. It has many account management apps like multiple accounts, photo tweets, video tweets, and editable user profile, plus features like GeoAnywhere, which allows you to tweet from where you want to be, not just where you are, plus private tweeting for your closest friends.
24. SpokenTwit.com enables you to speak your tweets and post to Twitter; unlimited recording length, no 140-character limit; followers hear real voice in local language. An ideal reporting tool for scientists in the field, for course notes and more.
25. TwitArcade is a free game-sharing site for Twitter users.

This list is in alphabetical order by surname.

1. Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, Morris Herztein Professor of Biology and Physiology in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered the molecular nature of telomeres and the ribonucleoprotein enzyme, telomerase. She shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (2009) with Carol Greider and Jack Szostak (see both below).
2. Dr. Linda Buck became the first to identify a family of genes that control the olfactory system. Her work, conducted through the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, earned her (with Richard Axel) the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2004. Her work is invaluable to those who work in professions that deal with aging and disease.
3. Dr. Mario R. Capecchi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007 (with Sir Martin J. Evans and Oliver Smithies below) for discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells. This technology has allowed scientists to engineer mice with conditions such as cancer, heart disease and more.
4. Jewel Plumber Cobb, a biologist, tested Methotrexate and found it effective on skin and lung cancer, as well as on childhood leukemia. Methotrexate now is used for a broad range of cancers, including breast cancer. The recipient of several honorary doctorates and many awards, including the Kilby Award for lifetime achievement in 1995, Dr. Cobb was elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine in 1974.
5. Renato Dulbecco shared the1975 Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology with David Baltimore and Howard Temin for his work in the study of viruses that could cause cancer in animals and humans. In the late 1950s Dulbecco shifted to the study of animal viruses that could cause cancerous tumors, and made fundamental contributions to understanding the uncontrolled growth of cells that occurs in cancer.
6. Gertrude B. Elien (1918-1999), an American pharmacologist and biochemist, was responsible for discovering many anti-cancer drugs and won a Nobel Prize for her work in 1988, along with Sir James W. Black and George H. Hitchings. She was associated with the National Cancer Institute in many capacities, and took an active part in the American Association for Cancer Research.
7. Dr. Moses Judah Folkman (1933-2008) was a medical scientist best known for his research on tumor angiogenesis, the process by which a tumor attracts blood vessels to nourish itself and sustain its existence. The the same principles now lead to novel treatments for reviving dying heart tissue, restoring circulation to tissues crippled by diabetes and improving vision in patients with macular degeneration.
8. Dr. Carol Greider discovered the enzyme telomerase in 1984, when she was a graduate student of Elizabeth Blackburn (see above). One group within Greider’s current laboratory at Johns Hopkins has continued her original biochemistry research, working to establish the structural and functional regions within the telomerase RNA. Another group is exploring genetic questions with yeast.
9. Lee Hartwell: Hartwell discovered the genes that control cell division — genes that turned out to be the universal machinery for cell growth in all organisms. This discovery had practical applications for human health and new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. He won the 2001 Nobel Prize for his work. Hartwell retired this year as director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
10. Prof. Dr. Haraldzur Hausen is a German virologist and professor emeritus. After defining cancers in which the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) could be found, his research team made a series of key observations that linked human papillomaviruses (HPV) to cervical cancer. This research directly made possible the development of a vaccine in 2006. He received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008.
11. Dr. George Klein is a biologist who has specialized in studying certain types of tumors. He started a tumor biology center at Karolinska Institute and made a connection there between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and lymphomas and other cancers. He currently serves as Professor Emeritus and research group leader at the Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center at the Karolinska Institute.
12. Dr. Craig Mello and Andy Fire won the Nobel Prize for their work in RNA (or RNai) interference, a reverse genetic method. RNAi is having a dramatic impact on research, making it possible to easily induce “knock out” phenotypes for nearly all worm genes. This work may end up curing diseases like AIDS and cancer. He is working with the Tara Bean Foundation to learn more about pediatric brain tumors.
13. Rita Levi-Montalcini is an Italian neurologist who, together with Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of Nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein that causes developing cells to grow by stimulating surrounding nerve tissue. Their research plays a significant role in understanding cancers and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
14. Dr. Mark Muller is a cancer researcher who studies telomeres at the University of Central Florida as Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology. He currently directs a nationally funded research group studying gene regulation in cancer, and his lab is very active in ‘translational research,’ or on ‘translating’ basic science findings from the laboratory directly into the clinics.
15. Dr. Oliver Smithies was co-recipient (with Mario Capechhi above) of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells. The work entailed developing the technology to precisely tweak mouse genes, enabling the animals to provide living models of human scourges such as cancer.
16. Dr. Jack W. Szostak, a genetics professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), won the 2009 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for pioneering work in the discovery of telomerase, an enzyme that protects chromosomes from degrading, along with Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider (see both above).
17. Dr. E. Donnall Thomas is an American physician who, in 1990, was co-recipient (with Joseph E. Murray) of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his work in transplanting bone marrow from one person to another — an achievement related to the treatment of patients with leukemia and other blood cancers or blood diseases.
18. Dr. Harold E. Varmus, is an American Nobel prize winning scientist and appointee as the 14th Director of the National Cancer Institute in 2010. He was a co-recipient (with J. Michael Bishop) of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovery of the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes. His work creates new opportunities in cancer research.
19. Dr. Robert Weinberg, Founding Member of Whitehead Institute, is most widely known for his discoveries of the first human oncogene Ras — a gene that causes normal cells to form tumors — and the first tumor suppressor gene, Rb. More recently, his group has succeeded in creating the first genetically defined human cancer cells, work that can improve the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
20. Dr. Walter Willett has associated various food and drink products to cancers and heart disease. Other endpoints being examined in the study with regard to diet include diabetes, cataracts, glaucoma, gallstones, and other malignancies. Dr. Willett’s laboratory is part of a larger group of several dozen faculty level researchers who are working on various aspects of the epidemiology of cancer and other diseases.

1. Buying Organic contains information for anyone who wants to eat healthier and also eat ethically. This graphic outlines all the major food processors of organic foods. The numbers indicate rank in North American food processing according to Food Processing. Some facts may surprise you, such as the fact that Pepsi processes Naked Juice.
2. CO2 Emissions illustrates that if everyone in the United States became a vegetarian for one year, this country could save about 700 13.9 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent to eliminating all flights out of BAA Heathrow airport in one year.  China has 1,338,410,002 inhabitants compared to U.S. 309,636,137 inhabitants, yet China only emits about 400,00 more tonnes of CO2 than the U.S.
3. Dirty Water explains the facts about faucet water in various parts of the country. This infographic is based upon a new study that catalogs all the pollutants and chemicals that appear in tap water, such as arsenic and fuel additives. Many of these pollutants are unregulated, meaning no matter how high a dose appears in your water, it still is legal.
4. Disease Case Fatality Rates is an infographic that charts the number of cases for various diseases that result in fatalities. AIDS, untreated, is the largest killer, followed by Bird Flu and Tuberculosis. Only 0.1 percent of the population who contract seasonal flu die from this disease. Scroll down to see the same diseases and the survival rate of those diseases outside the body.
5. Glass Half Empty is a graphic that details the coming water wars, or the battles for fresh water. Since water is a vital component for good health, it might interest you to discover where the water shortages will occur by 2025. The U.S. stands in the middle, between places like Canada and South America on one end and Africa and the Middle East on the other end.
6. Global Tobacco Trade is a great tool to use if you want to stop smoking. Not only does it list all the chemicals found in most commercial cigarettes, but it details major smuggling routes and other information about the tobacco trade. In the U.S., major interstate smuggling exists to evade high taxes.
7. Human Subway is an interesting take on the human body as a subway system, based upon the London Tube. Systems portrayed include arterial, CNS, digestive, lymphatic, musculature, respiratory, urinary and venous. Although not entirely accurate, it provides an interesting way to learn these systems and provides a great image for the wall.
8. Laser Hair Removal brings information to viewers on how this technique works to remove hair, why people might want to use it, how to get the best results and what to avoid before a treatment. When you go to this link, you’ll also see an infographic on tattoo removal that includes basically the same information.
9. Number of Men in the U.S. Who Will Die in 2008 as a Result of…is an infographic that, while dated, is an interesting graphic of a skull created from statistics. It appears that heart disease was the number one killer, followed by cancer, stroke and car accidents. It was predicted that only five men would die from spider bites.
10. Our Favorite Drugs is a story about the war on drugs and how it keeps law enforcement busy. But, the kinds of battles vary widely, from meth labs (the U.S. West beats all) to cocaine (Florida wins) and pharmaceuticals (take it away, New England). The psychedelic map is divided by type of drug and by regions in the U.S.
11. Personal Injury in the Wild is an interesting infographic that shows how man (or woman) can die by various wild animals. Dogs are included, as it appears that fatal dog attacks are common. According to these statistics, you’ll have more chance of dying from a mosquito bite than you will from a snake bite.
12. Prostate Cancer Conversation is all about the known information about this disease. Age, family history and race are leading risk factors, but doctors can seldom explain why one man develops the disease and another does not. The earlier the disease is detected, the more easily and effectively it can be treated.
13. The Center of Your Grocery Store is an infographic offered by Wired, and that points to the fact that most healthy items within most grocery stores are located in the periphery. The center aisles are where you’ll find foods with the highest “energy density,” or calories by weight, which makes those aisles ground zero of the obesity epidemic.
14. The Future of Food: How Science Will Solve the Next Global Crises is an amazing graphic that also is presented in an interesting format by Wired. Forty years ago, advances in fertilizers and pesticides boosted crop yield and fed a growing planet. Today, demand for food fueled by rises in worldwide consumption of meat and protein is again outpacing farmers’ abilities to keep up.
15. The Global Disease Alert Map is one example of an online interactive map tool that also is an infographic. This map locates any reports of disease from a selection of news sources. Available in multiple languages, HealthMap is a great use of the Google Maps API. You also can download and use this map from a mobile device.
16. The Origins and Paths of Epidemics shows where many epidemics began and when they started and how they traveled. For instance, the earliest evidence of malaria was discovered in the Dominican Republic in 30,000,000 BC. One of two remaining stocks of smallpox were locked away in Siberia in 2009 to prevent possible use of that disease as a biological weapon.
17. Visualizing Alcohol Use provides information about alcohol users in the United States, their ages, the amount of alcohol in drinks and blood alcohol levels by gender. It also points to the highest recorded and survived blood alcohol level, which is amazingly higher than the legal limit. This graphic also shows how students at Penn State felt alcohol affected them.
18. Water Consumption shows how much water you might use on a daily basis. This is important health and environment information, as it shows that the creation of one pound of beef trumps all other water consumption uses, including showers and toilet flushing. For comparison, one 16 oz. glass of water equals .125 gallons, where the pound of beef takes 1,500 gallons.
19. Water Table graphic is from a 1997 article in the New York Times. It is not a particularly special graphic, nor is it colorful. But, it got the Bill and Melinda Gates’ attention, a couple who were gripped by the numbers and who went on to save a million lives with their philanthropy. This table was discovered in a search for information graphics for advocacy.
20. World Health displays different countries in price tags and the total costs of their health expenditures. Some countries spend a lot on health care, but don’t see great benefits for those expenditures among their citizens. The graphic also details several causes for deaths and life expectancy in years.

The sun’s radiation can help processes in the body work better. But, as with all things related to health and wellness, the key is moderation. Just because the sun offers some health benefits doesn’t mean that you should go crazy. You still need to wear sunscreen if you’ve been in the sun for more than 10 minutes or so; it’s all about common sense.  Here are 25 benefits of sensible sun exposure:

Vitamin D

We are learning a lot about how important Vitamin D is to the body. Our own bodies produce Vitamin D, which is not actually a vitamin, but rather a group of special prohormones. Our bodies produce Vitamin D — with the help of exposure to sunlight. You only need about 10 – 15 minutes of sun exposure a day in order for your body to make adequate Vitamin D to offers some of these possible benefits:

1. Reduce the chance of multiple sclerosis: There is some indication that Vitamin D can help ameliorate some of the symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis and even fight against its development.
2. Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes: While there are plenty of other factors involved in the development of type 2 diabetes, there are some studies that suggest that Vitamin D, along with calcium, may help reduce the risk for developing the disease.
3. Prevent high blood pressure: There is a possibility that Vitamin D may actually help prevent high blood pressure, meaning that a little sun exposure can be good for your heart.
4. Cancer risk reduction: There are some indications that Vitamin D could actually aid in reducing the risk of different cancers. And some cancers are actually encouraged by a lack of Vitamin D.
5. Increase chance of cancer survival: If you do have cancer, there is some evidence that the presence of Vitamin D can help increase the chances of survival, due the possibility that Vitamin D can actually shrink some cancer cells.
6. Help prevent bone diseases: Because of its role in helping the body to absorb calcium, and due to other factors, getting sufficient sun exposure for the production of Vitamin D can help prevent bone diseases that can result in fractures and other problems.
7. Prevent some muscle pain: Recent studies point to the idea that sensible sun exposure might aid in reducing and preventing some muscle pain.
8. Reduce risk of rheumatoid arthritis: Those who have sufficient Vitamin D intake could possibly reduce the chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis, as well as reduce the symptoms the condition.
9. Prevent flu: Could Vitamin D help prevent the flu? It might, according to some recent studies. It might also help you reduce the duration.
10. Reduce severity of cataracts: While cataracts cannot be completely prevented, their severity can be reduced with the help of Vitamin D. You can see more clearly if you have proper exposure to sunlight.

Physical Benefits of Sun Exposure

Your physical health can also be affected by sensible sun exposure. It’s not a good idea to spend too much time in the sun, since it can result in skin cancer and other health problems. However, limited sun exposure can have physical benefits.

11. Boost the immune system: Vitamin D is essential to the immune system, and can help boost your immune system so that you can fight off disease more effectively.
12. Lower cholesterol: One of the ways you can help lower your cholesterol naturally is to enjoy some sensible sun exposure.
13. Lower resting pulse rate of the heart: Studies suggest that sunlight can help lower your pulse rate, improving cardiovascular health.
14. Add resistance power to skin: While too much sun can be damaging to the skin, moderate exposure can actually be helpful to the skin. It can actually help your skin build up resistance to eczema, acne and psoriasis.
15. Increase metabolism: Sensible sun exposure can help boost your metabolism, increasing the rate at which you burn calories. This can be a great thing, helping you lose weight and stay in shape.
16. Better liver function: The nutrients that come as a result of sun exposure can help enhance your liver‘s function.
17. Improve digestion: If you are interested in improving your digestion, you can increase your sun exposure to a moderate amount.
18. Enhanced kidney function: Sun exposure, thanks to Vitamin D, offers help when it comes to kidney function. Kidneys remove waste from the body, so getting proper sun exposure can help decrease the toxicity in your bloodstream.
19. Stronger skeleton: As the Vitamin D produced from sun exposure is absorbed, it can help strengthen bones in the skeleton. You’ll have less brittle bones, and a better posture.
20. More physical exercise: It’s more fun to be outside than it is to be inside, and you can use sunny weather as a good excuse to get out and exercise. The sun encourages biking, hiking and even golf. Head out on a nice day and enjoy the sunshine — and get more fulfilling exercise.

Mental Health Benefits of Sun Exposure

Your mental state can also be influenced by sun exposure. Sensible amounts of sunlight can help you improve your mental health and contribute to your feelings of emotional well being.

21. Reduce stress: You can reduce your stress level with the help of proper exposure to sunlight. Taking some time to enjoy the sun can help you sleep better as you decrease your stress level.
22. Reduce anxiety: If you are feeling anxious, sensible sun exposure on a regular basis can help soothe you. Sunlight is one of the natural remedies to anxiety.
23. Fight depression: There is evidence that sunlight is a natural way to improve your mood. If you suffer from depression, adding a little moderate sun exposure might help you combat the symptoms.
24. Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): If you suffer from SAD during the winter, you can combat the feelings with the help of natural light. Look for ways to introduce more sunlight into your environment, with the help of open windows. You can also use sun lamps that mimic the sun’s healthful rays.
25. Better relationships: More sunlight can help your relationships because it offers a mood enhancement. Not only that, but you can knit closer family relationships by using good weather and fun in the sun as an excuse for inexpensive, quality family activities.

Mobile computing is going to make medicine more, well, mobile. No matter your career in health care, you are likely to find that technology is changing health care and the way things are done. Here are 17 ways that mobile computing is changing medicine and health care:

Diagnosis and Treatment

Mobile computing can actually help in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

1. Doctor-terminal: When taking care of rounds, a doctor can use a mobile device as a terminal. It could make it easier to pass information to other doctors, and look at what treatment has been administered so far, and be a great consultative device during grand rounds.
2. Medical reference: There are mobile applications that can help you reference conditions, as you look for diagnosis and other information about treatments. Doctors and nurses can use smart phones and tablet PCs to access information that can help them treat their patients more effectively. Everyone needs a refresher, and mobile computing puts it at your fingertips.
3. Care plan editing: Care plans can be created and edited easily using mobile computing. It is also possible for other nurses and doctors to review care plans and make changes, or add notes and observations about how the process is working. These notes can be sent to others, or handed off as simply as the mobile computer is.
4. Bedside x-rays: It is possible for doctors to refer to patient x-rays at the bedside, with the help of mobile computing. There is no need to try and hold x-rays up to the light when you have access to them right in your hand. Doctors can consult the x-rays — which can receive the images straight from the lab.
5. Prescription entry: It is possible to use mobile computing for providing prescriptions. The doctor can use a wireless prescription system to get what is needed for patients. The patient doesn’t have to take in a slip of paper, nor does anyone have to make a phone call. The doctor simply enters the prescription into computer system via the tablet PC or smartphone, and it is sent to the pharmacy.
6. Dosage calculations: No more looking around for a calculator and a paper and pencil. Instead, it is possible to find dosing calculators that can be carried with nurses and doctors via tablet computers and smartphones with the right applications. There are even specific applications for different dosing needs, such as for insulin or for use in pediatrics wards.
7. Histology review: It is possible for doctors and nurses to do a histology with greater ease. Being able to see, in hand, the structures related to tissues and organs, on a microscopic level can only enhance diagnosis and treatment.

Patient Information

It is possible for doctors, nurses, technicians and others to have better access to information about patients, thanks to electronic health records. It is even possible for patients to better access their own records with the help of mobile computing.

8. Access patient information: It is possible to access patient information with the help of mobile computing and electronic health records. No more relying on charts. And passing information on to others is easier as well, thanks to the fact that it can be called up from the system, from any approved mobile computing device.
9. Patient access: Patients can also better manage their own health, thanks to mobile computing. They can look up their own information, find symptoms and even double check to make sure that their information is accurate. The ability to more easily access their own health records has the potential to put consumers in better control of their health and information.
10. Real time records editing: Not only can health professionals access electronic health records, but they can also edit them in real time. This means that changes are made immediately, without having to wait for a human to look at paper copies of records, and then input them — or even change multiple paper copies.
11. Coding application: It is possible to code the patient’s treatment information for better billing later. Indeed, having mobile computing available makes it possible for nurses and doctors to enter the billing codes immediately, and the legibility makes it easier to verify. Patients can even verify if necessary.
12. Charge capture: With mobile computing, there is a good chance that there will no longer be a need to head to another part of the hospital for payment. Bedside charge capture is possible with some smart phones and with tablet PCs. That streamlines the process, allowing for co-pays to be made at the hospital or clinic with ease, and access to health insurance information is also at the fingertips of health care professionals.
13. Monitor vitals: There are smart phone applications and tablet PCs that can help monitor patient vitals, sending the information to doctors and nurses anywhere they are. This makes it possible to keep tabs on patients and their vital information remotely.

Communication

There are a number of useful communication functions offered by mobile computing in health care. Some of the useful ways mobile computing is changing communication in health care include:

14. Alerts: Patient alerts can easily be sent through mobile computing devices. Doctors and nurses can receive emergency alerts on their tablet PCs, letting them know when a patient’s vitals are slipping, or if some other problem arises.
15. Reminders: It is easy to get distracted in a health care setting, with everything that is going on. Mobile computing can be used to send reminders to health care staff. Additionally, there are applications designed for consumers so that they can reminded to take their medication via smart phone.
16. Consultation: It is possible for doctors to engage in consultations with others in order to get second opinions. Additionally, it is also possible for members of a health care team to more easily communicate. For those with more complex medical issues, different players in the health care treatment plan can better coordinate, making health more efficient.
17. Patient visitors: There are studies that show that relationships can help with healthy living and recovery from illness. Mobile computing can bring visitors to the patient, day or night, without the visitors being physical present. It is even possible to see images of the “visitor”. Interaction with the outside world can be brought to patients through mobile computing.

In one case [PDF] of cell phone use as a cancer-causing agent, a U.S. judge ruled against plaintiffs and accepted a motion to exclude the testimony of the plaintiffs’ experts, while denying a motion to exclude the testimony of the defendants’ experts. In this atmosphere, if you believe that cell phones have a harmful effect on your health, then it is up to you to take up the precautionary principle and take appropriate action to protect your own health.

Radiation Absorption: The rate at which radiation is absorbed by the human body is measured by the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) as regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

• The FCC requires cell phone manufacturers to ensure that their phones comply with these objective limits for safe exposure. Any cell phone at or below these SAR levels (that is, any phone legally sold in the U.S.) is a “safe” phone as measured by these standards. The FCC has set a SAR limit of 1.6 W/kg, averaged over a volume of 1 gram of tissue, for the head. The FCC ID number usually is shown somewhere on the case of the phone. Use that number and the FCC ID Search Form to learn more about your cell phone’s SAR limits.
• But, physiological functions of human body are regulated by electric currents. Therefore, is not surprising that placing human body within electromagnetic field, of sufficient strength, may affect physiological processes. In one study, conducted in Finland, scientists learned that molecular level changes might take place in human volunteers in response to exposure to RF-EMF (radio frequency modulated electromagnetic fields). These same scientists also confirmed that proteomics screening approach can identify protein targets of RF-EMF in human volunteers. In mobile phone usage, the RF-EMF is measured by SAR.
• Sufferers from Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) might keep the above study in mind when reading about EHS below.

Cancer: Thirteen countries have launched a project called INTERPHONE to investigate the risk of cancer for the mobile phone user beyond the studies that have been done to date. The idea behind this project is that cancer takes some time to develop, so only studies over ten years are of interest. Participating countries include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the UK.

• If you are concerned that the U.S. is not involved with this cooperative study, never fear. The U.S. government has embarked on its own study through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which nominated cell phone RF-EMF emissions testing to the National Toxicology Program (NTP).
• The NTP is in the initial stages of conducting toxicology and carcinogenicity studies in laboratory animals, using specially designed chambers to provide exposures that simulate those of cell phone users in the United States. The rats and mice will be exposed to radio frequency energy from the two technologies (CDMA and GSM) currently used in the U.S. at two frequencies (900 and 1900 MHz).

Nonthermal and Thermal Effects: The radiation that is absorbed by the human head is effected by dielectric heating. Most of the heating effects will occur at the surface of the head, causing the temperature to increase by a fraction of a degree. This also is known as the “microwave effect,” since this is the same principle that is used in microwave ovens. Overt RF energy can damage eyes (cataracts), create skin burns and heat stroke.

• Non-thermal effects are caused by reactions to RF energy other than the temperature of the emitting body. Examples include synchrotron radiation, maser radiation, and artificially generated radio and TV signals. The effects of non-thermal RF remain under study (and under debate).
• Meanwhile, the Institute of Science in Society (ISS), which is an international center of excellence in Science and Technology Studies located at the University of Nottingham, UK, published a four-part report on the effects of electromagnetic radiation. Under the chapter for Non-Thermal Effects, the report states that “The ‘safe’ exposure limits recommended by the international authority, International Committee for Non-Ionizing Radiation (ICNIRP) take no account of non-thermal effects, despite the mounting evidence of health hazards from such effects.”

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Also known as EHS, some mobile phone users have reported feeling unspecific symptoms such as burning and tingling sensations in the skin of the head and extremities, fatigue, sleep disturbances, dizziness, loss of mental attention, reaction times and memory retentiveness, headaches, malaise, tachycardia (heart palpitations) and/or disturbances of the digestive system during and after mobile phone use or when using household appliances, visual display units (VDUs) and certain light sources.

• The fields that electromagnetically hypersensitive individuals consider to be the cause of their symptoms vary considerably. According to one report, EHS carries symptoms that are similar to symptoms created by other causes, including psychological factors. But, the report also states that — whatever the cause — EHS is real and sometimes disabling for the affected individual. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that, apart from treatment by professionals, self help groups can be a valuable resource for the EHS individual.
• In the report issued by the ISS (see previous topic), scientists report mobile phone radiation has been found to affect a wide variety of brain functions — such as electrical activity (EEG) electrochemistry and the permeability of the blood/brain barrier — and to undermine the immune system. Additionally, mobile phone users show statistically significant increase (by a factor of between 2 and 3) in the incidence of a rather rare kind of tumor (epithelial neuroma) on the side of the brain nearest the mobile phone.

Accident Hazards: It has been proven that texting and talking on mobile phones causes automobile accidents, and measure have been taken in many U.S. states to prohibit the use of mobile phones while driving. Drivers that use cell phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves, and driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.

What You Can Do: If you believe that studies are undermined by mobile phone lobbyists and that effects are under-reported for any number of reasons, don’t feel alone. According to this recent article in GQ, the public is subject to a grand world experiment without informed consent through the use of RF-EMF. But, before you object to using cell phones and become an advocate for abolishing cell towers, you might want to remove the wireless connectivity from your home computer.

According to Blake Levitt, author of Electromagnetic Fields: A Consumer’s Guide to the Issues and How to Protect Ourselves, installing a Wi-Fi system in your home is similar to “inviting a cell tower indoors.”

Cancer researchers work on various types of cancer as well as on different methods for cures. While some researchers may be very public (famous and infamous), others remain behind the scenes. Some individuals, as you’ll see below, never step foot in a laboratory. Yet, the ten most influential people in cancer research — among dozens of others not listed — all have helped to make major strides in understanding cancer and refining cures to this disease.

1. Nancy Goodman Brinker: You may not recognize Ms. Brinker’s name and she spent little time in a laboratory, but you may be very familiar with her sister’s name — Susan G. Komen. When Susan died of breast cancer in her mid-thirties, Nancy promised her sister that she would do all she could to help the half-million women worldwide who are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Today, research grants dispensed by the Susan G. Komen Foundation have contributed to new treatments that have led to a marked decrease in the mortality rate. In August this year, President Obama awarded Nancy (who is a breast cancer survivor) with the Medal of Freedom for her work.
2. Dr. Bernard Fisher: Dr. Fisher is widely credited as the driving force that brought clinical trials and statistical methodology to breast cancer research since the 1970s. However, his association with the University of Pittsburgh colored his history for years. That university effectively halted his research with a charge of publishing false data. Although that charge was defeated in court, it tainted his published papers for years. Despite this upheaval, Dr. Fisher received the American Association for Cancer Research Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research and he most recently won the Jacobson Award in 2009, which honors living surgeons who have been innovators of a new development or technique in any field of surgery.
3. Dr. Edwin Fisher: This man is Dr. Bernard Fisher’s brother (noted above). The two brothers started the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) with the sole purpose of improving women’s chances of surviving breast cancer and to treat bowel cancer. Although Edwin (1923-2008) worked in a lab out of view, he trained thousands of pathologists and thousands more patients benefited from his research. Through clinical trials at the NSABP, Edwin and his brother proved that breast cancer is a systemic disease that, rather than metastasizing in an orderly way, metastasizes unpredictably. Thanks to this work, it is now accepted that a lumpectomy with radiation treatment is just as affective in treating breast cancer as a radical mastectomy.
4. Dr. Moses Judah Folkman: Known as the “Cancer Warrior,” Dr. Folkman (1933-2008) stumbled upon a hidden secret about how cancer grows in 1961. His theory, called angiogenesis, showed that blocking blood flow to a tumor provided one way to treat the disease. Although his idea has yet to reach full fruition, thanks to lack of funds and some controversy, his theory has produced new research, products and help for many patients who have trouble producing blood vessels. Angiogenesis inhibitors are now approved by the FDA in the U.S., for cancer and for macular degeneration and have received approval in 27 other countries.
5. Dr. Robert Charles Gallo: This biomedical researcher started out in clinical work until he began to work with children suffering with leukemia (his sister, Judith, died in 1949 from childhood leukemia). From there, he spent more time in the lab and, by 1980, discovered the first virus that causes cancer. The HTLV-1 causes T-cell leukemia in humans. He also discovered, along with Luc Montagnier, the immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Gallo went even further to establish that the virus causes AIDS. However, disputes over who had originally discovered the AIDS test colored Gallo’s career. Although he was vindicated of any guilt, he was passed over for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2008 – the same year that Harald zur Hausen won a portion of that award (see below). Gallo remains controversial as some Internet pundits praise him as an “AIDS saint,” and others accuse him of cooperating with the government in creating an AIDS virus for biochemical warfare.
6. Dr. Harald zur Hausen: Professor zur Hausen has a special interest in infection-induced malignancies. He showed the role of papillomaviruses in cervical cancer and discovered a larger number of novel virus types. He was award a Nobel Prize for medicine for his work that went against established opinion about the cause of cervical cancer. Harald zur Hausen has been an honorary professor of the University of Heidelberg since 1988 and is a member of its Faculty of Medicine.
7. Steven McCarroll: This young man is one to watch in the field of DNA and its affects on several disease areas. The most recent discovery, made by McCarroll and a team of researchers, was made in November this year. Working with a test group of several siblings, this team discovered that bone marrow transplants – such as the ones received in cancer treatment – will only work when a gene called UGT2B17 is present in both donor and recipient. This momentous discovery explains the existence of a serious side-effect known as graft-versus-host disease, where immune cells from the donor attack tissues in the recipient. McCarroll has made this work as first author part of his postdoctoral Broad Institute’s Lawrence H. Summers Fellowship at Harvard.
8. Rita Levi-Montalcini: This Italian neurologist, along with colleague Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). She conducted her research at Washington University in St. Louis, under the supervision of Professor Viktor Hamburger. It was at this university’s laboratories in 1952 where she isolated the NGF from observations of certain cancerous tissues that cause extremely rapid growth of more nerve cells. Levi-Montalcini is currently the oldest living and the longest-lived Nobel laureate.
9. Robert Allan Weinberg, PhD: Dr. Weinberg is most well known for his discoveries of the first human oncogene, a gene that causes normal cells to form tumors, and the first tumor suppressor gene. He a founding member of the Whitehead Institute and he recently joined the advisory board for Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Weinberg also is a Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research at MIT and American Cancer Society Research Professor.
10. Walter Willett, MD, DrPH: Dr. Willett is Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition and Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. While other doctors looking for cures studied viruses and cell growth, Dr. Willett focused on nutrition. He has become one of the most cited nutritionists internationally, because he showed that a Mediterranean diet rich in tomato sauce and olive oil may help to prevent prostate cancer.

General Natural Childbirth Blogs

These are blogs that provide general information on giving birth naturally. Great resources for those who are interested in learning more about natural childbirth.

1. Giving Birth Naturally: A look at natural childbirth from one who has had two girls naturally, and expects to do so with a third child in 2010.
2. Stand and Deliver: This is a blog about natural childbirth and ways to make it a little easier.
3. Pushed Birth: This is a blog that works to dispel the idea of induced labor, and to explain the benefits of natural childbirth.
4. Spirit-Led Birth: Natural childbirth from a spiritual perspective.
5. Organic Birth: This blog is devoted to home birth and other forms of natural childbirth.
6. Mother’s Choice: A blog devoted to sharing facts, research and studies about natural childbirth to provide you with the information you need to make your own choice about how to give birth.
7. Fearless Birth: A blog that focuses on helping women feel empowered through their ability to give birth.
8. Bornfree!: Learn about unassisted birth and how you can have a successful natural childbirth experience.

Pregnancy and Birth Information Blogs

Get a little more information on pregnancy and birth in general, and what you can do to make the process smoother.

9. Ob/Gyn Kenobi: Learn about childbirth — including natural childbirth — from an Ob/Gyn.
10. a little pregnant: An interesting look at pregnancy and parenting, as well as infertility.
11. Orgasmic Birth: Natural childbirth and parenting, and taking back the process.
12. At Your Cervix: Get a look at childbirth from a nurse working in a large hospital.
13. Motherlode Blog: This New York Times blog takes a look at pregnancy and childbirth.
14. Sarah Stewart: Includes information on natural childbirth and midwives, interspersed with other helpful health information.
15. Letters from Laura: This blog offers insight into natural childbirth from an activist point of view.
16. RH Reality Check: This blog focuses on reproductive health, including childbirth.

Midwives

A midwife can be very helpful in a natural childbirth situation. And most midwives do have medical training as well. Here are some blogs on childbirth by midwives.

17. Navelgazing Midwife: This certified midwife writes about natural childbirth, and her experiences as a midwife.
18. Radical Midwife: Approaches natural childbirth from the position that it should never have become something considered “radical”.
19. Jan Tritten’s Blog: Looks at different issues related to natural childbirth and midwifery.
20. Midwife in the Clouds: Get a look at the politics of childbirth and midwifery.
21. Birthfriend’s place to ponder: Helpful hints on natural childbirth practices, breastfeeding and other aspects of pregnancy and birth from a midwife who has been practicing for more than a decade.
22. Gloria Lemay: This midwife has years of experience, and can provide an interesting look at natural childbirth.

Doulas

A doula is a birth helper who assists in childbirth. A doula is not a midwife, nor medical personnel. Many find a doula very comforting and helpful during a natural childbirth.

23. Sarahthedoula: This Ontario doula provides insight into natural childbirth and tips for making it a success.
24. Birth, Babies, Breasts, Oh My!: This fun blog is written by a doula who has four children of her own and can share stories of her work with others.
25. Bellies and Babies: Get news and information on natural childbirth from the perspective of a doula.
26. Birthing from Within: This helpful site offers articles and resources from doulas and other birthing professionals about natural childbirth.
27. babycatcher33: This doula blogs about her life, and includes interesting tid-bits about natural childbirth.
28. Pittsburgh Doula: A look at the life of a doula in Pittsburgh.

Natural Childbirth Stories

If you are interested in learning about the experiences of others, these blogs can provide you with firsthand accounts of natural childbirth.

29. Refuse To Be a Womb Pod: Get some interesting insight into natural childbirth and read other stories.
30. BirthNaturally.org Weblog: Inspirational stores about natural childbirth, as well as tips for enjoying it more.
31. Pregnancy, Birth and Babies: Read more than 200 stories about natural childbirth and how it can be a good experience.
32. Women in Charge: Read stories of other women who have taken charge of their childbirth experiences.
33. Childbirth Connection: Learn about stories from women who have given birth naturally and find resources for your own natural childbirth.
34. The Trial of Labor: Stories from women about their natural childbirth. Also includes the experiences of miscarriage.

Hypno Birth

Some believe that hypnosis can help women overcome some of the discomfort of natural childbirth, helping them avoid drugs and other medical interventions.

35. Hypnobabies Blog: A blog that offers insight into using hypnosis in childbirth.
36. Hypnosis for Women’s Health: Learn how hypnosis can promote women’s health, including during pregnancy and childbirth.
37. Enjoy Birth Blog: This blog is written by a doula who recommends hypnosis for childbirth.
38. Hypnosis for Birth: Just what it sounds like, this blog is about using hypnosis as part of a natural childbirth.
39. Susan Bambara: A well-known hypnotist, Susan has appeared on Oprah to explain how hypnosis can help in natural childbirth.
40. Hypnosis Downloads: These downloads can help you with natural childbirth, as well as with other issues.

Lamaze

This method of childbirth has been used by many to prepare for natural childbirth. Learn how you can enjoy childbirth more with Lamaze.

41. Lamaze — LoveToKnow: This has up to date articles on Lamaze and natural childbirth.
42. Science & Sensibility: Practical information and tips on pregnancy and birth, with the Lamaze method.
43. Give Birth with Confidence: Learn more about natural childbirth and how you can enjoy it.
44. Mom’s Tinfoil Hat: This mom believes in Lamaze and writes about daily life, as well as childbirth.

Natural Childbirth Podcasts and Videos

Listen to these great podcasts, or watch some good videos, on natural childbirth.

45. Bellycast: Information podcasts about natural childbirth, including position and other helpful hints.
46. Timely Topics in Childbirth: Learn about birth related news and other topics.
47. Childbirth Video: Watch these videos of childbirth and learn more about what to expect.
48. HomeBirthVideos.com: Just what it sounds like, you can watch videos of homebirths and even add your own.
49. Bellies to BirthCast: Listen to different accounts of natural childbirth, and the business of childbirth in general.
50. HypnoBabies Live!: This podcast addresses hypnosis as part of natural childbirth.

Physics

This is one of the most interesting fields of science today. Here are some physics open courseware classes.

1. Modern Physics: The University of Virginia offers the basics of modern physics for those who are just starting out.
2. Modern Technology: Get an idea of the basic scientific method, and an outline of the fundamentals of physics from the University of Winnipeg.
3. Introduction to Modern Physics: This Tufts University course helps you understand the history behind modern physics, and goes over the principles behind the biggest breakthroughs.
4. Andes Physics Course: This course is part of the Open Learning Initiative from Carnegie Mellon University. Modules take you through the basics of physics.
5. Visual Quantum Mechanics: Kansas State University offers and interesting journey through the world of quantum physics.
6. Physics Courses: MIT offers a whole variety of open courseware classes on physics.

Chemistry

You need to know chemistry for a lot of different sciences. These courses can provide you insight into the basics of chemistry.

7. Chemistry Classroom: The University of Akron offers a variety of chemistry classes that can help you understand the basics.
8. Chemistry Modules: Vision Learning provides a number of visual learning modules related to different chemistry concepts.
9. General Chemistry Online: Learn about basic chemistry in a visual and interesting way from Frostburg State University.
10. Principles of Chemical Science: This course from Free-Ed.net provides a basic look at different principles related to chemistry.
11. Chemistry and Biochemistry: This offers links to different open courseware from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. Learn about biochemistry and chemistry concepts.
12. Physical Chemistry Lecture Notes: These notes and lectures from Colby College can give you a good start on the concepts behind physical chemistry.

Biology

Get a basic understanding of the building blocks of life with these biology open courseware classes.

13. Introductory Biology: MIT provides an introduction to biology, including interesting video lectures.
14. Cell Biology: This course from the University of Arizona offers a look at the basic unit of biological composition: The cell.
15. Principles of Biology: Understand the principles behind biology with help from this University of Utah course.
16. Human Biology: The University of Leeds offers a look at the biological makeup of human beings.
17. Life Sciences in the 21st Century: A look at modern biology and other life sciences from Virginia Tech.
18. General Biology: The University of Massachusetts Boston provides an overview of the general principles of biology.
19. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Get a look at the basics biochemistry and biology on the molecular level from the University of California Berkeley.

Astronomy and Space Science

Astronomy is a beautiful and interesting science. Here are some great courses related to astronomy and space science.

20. Introduction to Astronomy: Learn the basics of the starts, planets and how they are formed from MIT.
21. The evolving universe: The Open University offers an interesting course on galactic formation.
22. Modern Astrophysics: A look at the physics of space, and how matter behaves in the vast outreaches of the universe.
23. Motion under gravity: Gravity is a major influence in space science and astronomy. Learn the basics of motion and gravity from the Open University.
24. Receivers, Antennas, and Signals: This course from MIT can help you learn about the signals from earth as well as space, and learn how different signals help in astronomy.
25. A Brief History of Astronomy: The University of California San Diego provides an interesting look at astronomy through history.
26. The Galileo Project: A fascinating offering from Rice University detailing the motion of stars and planets.

Earth Science

Learn about the sciences associated with our planet, Earth.

27. Basics of Impact Cratering & Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Environmental Studies of Some Impact Craters of the Earth: This MIT course looks at impact craters scattered throughout Earth, and their scientific implications.
28. Atmospheric and Ocean Circulations: Get an idea of the way physics affects the air and oceans in this class from MIT.
29. Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: This course from Humboldt State University provides a look at the economics associated with natural resources and the environment.
30. Geology and Science: Get a look at the scientific method, and how it relates to the science of geology from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
31. Geo-Sci Lecture Notes: Cornell University offers some comprehensive lecture notes on geology science.
32. Introduction to Environmental Engineering: This course from Penn State provides a basic look at the basics surrounding the science of the environment, and attempts to engineering the natural and built.

Medical Science

Learn about the basics of the human body, and medical science, with these free open courseware classes.

33. Human Physiology: Learn the basics of how the human body works from the University of Utah.
34. Biostatistics: Johns Hopkins University offers a number of helpful courses in biostastics and how they relate to medicine.
35. Genomic Medicine: MIT offers a look at the medicine related to genes, and how gene therapy works.
36. Design of Medical Devices and Implants: Another course from MIT, this provides you with a look at how medical technology is designed, and how it works.
37. Human Growth and Development: Learn about how humans develop from birth to death from Tufts University.
38. Population Medicine: Another course from Tufts offers a look at how medicine is accomplished today, with larger populations.

Psychology

Learn about the science of human behavior, and how it affects them, and those around them.

39. Introduction to Personality Psychology: This course from the University of Michigan introduces the concept of personality.
40. Brain and Cognitive Sciences: MIT offers a number of interesting and applicable courses related to psychology and cognition.
41. Introduction to Social Psychology: The University of Notre Dame provides a class on the psychology of people in social groupings.
42. SALMON Psychology: This collection of psychology courses and lectures from the University of Plymouth offers insight into a number of issues.
43. Social Psychology: Self and Society: The University of California Berkeley provides a course on understanding individual psychology, and how it relates to society.
44. Ambient Intelligence: This MIT course looks at how humans interact with computers and machines, and how it affects their cognition and perception.

Computer Science

Using a computer is a necessary exercise in many scientific fields. Here are some courses that can help you better understand and use computers.

45. Communication, Technology and Policy: Learn about how computers aid in communication and their importance from the University of Southern Queensland.
46. Introduction to Computers from Berkeley offers a basic overview of computers and computing.
47. Mathematics for Computer Science: This MIT course offers a look at how math can be used in computer science.
48. Advanced Data Analysis: Learn how to analyze data and how to interpret what you find with this Tokyo Tech open courseware class.
49. Machine Structures: This is another helpful Berkeley class that can help you learn about structures, computer memory and other concepts.
50. Programming Methodology: This course from Connexions offers a basic look at the methodology behind computer programming.