SpaceKids.......... spacekids.hq.nasa.gov .....Care to take a virtual tour of the solar system? Or perhaps send your name to Mars aboard the next lander? You can do both at Space Kids, a NASA Web site designed for "children" of all ages. Here also are links to space-science news, interactive lessons, and information about organizations where you can help scientists explore the final frontier.

 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum..........www.nasm.edu.......If you can't make it to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., its Web site has all the galleries, complete with photos and short summaries. Trace the history of aviation and space exploration, learn about how things fly, and explore our solar system. If you're looking for a specific aircraft or space artifact, the site features a comprehensive listing, with photos, of the museum's entire collection-on and off display.

Tryscience.org.........Nothing quite captures a child's attention like a good science experiment. That's why more than 400 science learning institutions contributed experiments to this site. Children and adults alike can participate virtually online or use household items offline.

 Sodaconstructor..........www.sodaplay.com/constructor ...."Sodaconstructor can seriously damage your productivity," reads a warning posted at the bottom of this site. They're not kidding. Join masses and springs to form small mathematical creatures that writhe and twist in two dimensions as you adjust spring stiffness and weight placement. Sodaconstructions can walk, bounce, roll, or jiggle their way across the screen, depending on your design. If you can't get the hang of creating 2-D critters, load a predesigned model for inspiration.

Bug Bios.....www.bugbios.com.......To promote insect appreciation, this site has more than 100 crisp, color pictures of ants, bees, wasps, beetles, hoppers, roaches, and spiders, which technically aren't insects but arthropods. Those who already appreciate creepy, crawly things will be dazzled by the site's breadth of information, but even entomophobics can learn something here. Did you know that beetles represent the largest order of insects, with more than 250,000 described species?

Jane's Information Group......www.janes.com.....One of the world's leading authorities on defense and transportation, Jane's brings you the latest news on just about everything that floats, flies, or drives. The focus is on vehicles that serve naval, air, and land forces, but you'll also find information on civilian air shows, trains, and transportation-related international businesses.

 Operations Significant Event Imagery......www.osei.noaa.gov.....Point your browser here for gorgeous satellite images of the world's most violent natural disasters. Get a bird's eye view of a raging firestorm, or track the path of a hurricane in full-motion video. The site's intuitive organization makes finding the images a breeze, and topical sections like the Image of the Day keep you up-to-date with the latest in global catastrophes. The site doesn't attempt to explain the wondrous phenomena it displays &emdash; it's content to be simply the most stunning satellite page around.

 Imagine the Universe......imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov.......This site has been wowing would-be astronomers for years, serving up the basics (and not-so basics) about our universe in a clear and concise format. A recent reorganization of the site has finally earned it a spot as a true ÒBest of the Web.Ó Ask an astronomer your burning cosmic questions, or just sit back and view videos of the heavens. Intimidated by the jargon? Run your mouse over a confusing term and a clear explanation pops up onscreen.

 International Human- Powered Vehicle Association......www.ihpva.org....Laziness is not an option for the pilots of human-powered planes and ornithopters-two of the many vehicles described at the International Human-Powered Vehicle Association site. Engineers worldwide contribute plans for vehicles that one day may turn our noisy, fossil fuel society into a pollution-free yet mobile civilization. Watch test videos of these mechanical works of art and check out the latest attempts at world human-powered speed records.

Snow Crystals....www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals Stunning designer snow crystal galleries, an historical photo collection, and tips on photographing snow crystals make this site breathtaking to browse. Learn about different types of snow crystals and watch movies that show them growing at different temperatures. Produced by a physics professor at Caltech, the site covers the basics, but it also gets into details that would interest even . . . well, a physics professor at Caltech.

 Solar System Simulator.....space.jpl.nasa.gov......Zoom past Saturn or simply gaze at the moons of Mars at this exquisite site from space designed to visualize deep-space satellite missions, the simulator lets you see a body from any vantagepoint at any time Ñ so you can view Jupiter as seen by Galileo (the man) or Galileo (the satellite). The renderings of the planets are startlingly realistic, and itÕs easy to set the simulator for the images you want.

 Windows to the Universe........www.windows.umich.edu.........A richly colored, highly detailed encyclopedia of space, Windows on the Universe also brings you all the benefits of Internet interactivity. ItÕs a bountiful site, with areas on our planet, solar system, universe, the arts, and people in science. Tailor all of the information to beginner, intermediate, or advanced reading level with the click of a button Ñ so it works for junior as well as the family member whoÕs the most space-savvy.

 Astronomy Picture of the Day......antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html....Sometimes the best sites have the simplest ideas behind them. Case in point, the Astronomy Picture of the Day, which offers exactly that: a stunning image of a celestial body, phenomenon, or space-related event. Add to that a rich assortment of links for each image, and youÕve got a fun place to visit and revisit. Miss a day? An archive provides images back to 1995, and a searchable index brings you to info on specific categories such as black holes or spiral galaxies.

Kennedy Space Center - Live video feedshttp://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/video/

CURRENCY CONVERTER

 If Thomas Edison had his way, all cars would have been electric. By 1909 his new battery was ready to power the automobile. But In 1910, Henry Ford made the internal combustion engine cheap enough so that the automobile was affordable to the average man. Some cars ran on air in 1921. Between 1929 and 1931 Manhattan trolleys ran on air compression. The very first world speed record was set by the Jeantaud electric car in 1898 - a speed of 39.24 mph.