| Product: |
Ask Dr. Universe |
| Date: |
31/07/01 (29 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review
Ask Dr. Universe is a website mainly for kids, but which could also be useful for enquiring adults as well. The main theme of the site is 'science' and science related issues, but you can ask a number of questions on any subject matter and it will try to find an answer.
But who is Dr. Universe? Well, its a cat. But a cat with big connections. You see Dr. Universe is linked to the Washington State University and therefore directs your questions at the academic body therein to come up with satisfactory answers. But its not all deeply academic and convoluted - but instead is aimed at answering the really important questions which litle inquiring minds ask such as - "Why don't spiders stick to their webs?" and "Why do men have nipples?". Try finding these answers in any text books...I dare you! Well, I'm willing to bet that you would have a pretty hard time coming up with an answer without a site like this one - where the answer is at your fingertips.
There are a number of ways to find answers to questions. There is primarily a questions and answers archive where other people have posed questions and been given answers. To access this you click on the brightly coloured link on the start page(more about this later) and are taken to a search box. Enter you search criteria and you are taken quickly to a scrollable list of Q&As. The second method is via email. If you can't find the answer to your question then you can email the Doctor and you'll get a reply to this query - as long as its a sensible question of course! Can't find your answer here, or need to get a response in a hurry, then Dr. Universe provides a selection of links to other great science related sites as well.
The site itself may be pitched at children, but the answers themselves are not always at such a low level. The answer to a simple question can ramble on in great detail for many hundreds of words, which whilst being very inform
ative, may be a little daunting for the younger reader. Nevertheless, I would rather this than a skirting around the issues which left the reader craving more information.
Like I said the site is aimed at children but can be used by just about anyone. Its layout and general design are great, employing bright cartoonish graphics for the links and Dr. Universe as the wise looking cat as your guide around the site. The links to the various sections are arranged neatly on the homepage and can be accessed either by clicking one of the arrangement of graphics on the right hand side or from selecting from the menu on the left. Click a link and you are taken to the relevant section fast, with very little access time.
In summary then, its difficult to fault a site such as this. You get access to the knowledge base of a range of university academics who, it would appear, are more than happy to deal with your enquiries. The information they provide is detailed, accurate and best of all presented in a fun manner...I wish 'adult' information sites were presented in such a way, might make reading them more interesting! The layout is neat and with a jolly colour scheme which never strays into the realms of being gaudy and ugly and overall the whole site feels both fun and professional at the same time. It should be an invaluable resource for kids and adults alike(for when they ask those impossible to answer questions). Very, Very useful indeed - one for the bookmarks I feel!
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