/// The Amiga and Science
    by Robert Niles


With it's graphic capabilties and flexabilty, the Amiga would seem to be
one of the platforms most used in the field of science.

As an introduction I went through some of the programs available to get
an idea of what was being done on the Amiga in the scientific "arena".
Where as these programs by no means show all of the files out there that
introduce us to or show us the whole field of science, it might set
you off to see what there is available in fields that interest you most.

As a parent, I definately would like to see more of these programs as an
aid in helping children grow and learn all they possibly can.

The reviewed files below can be found on most  commercial online systems, 
on many BBSes, or if you can't find them anywhere else they are available 
to download or to File REQuest on  In The MeanTime (The names of the 
files as they appear on "In The MeanTime are in parenthesis).




Ephem v4.28 (EPHEM428.LHA), by Elwood Downey (1992)

Ephem is a program that displays ephemerides for all the planets plus any
two additional objects.  The additional objects may be fixed or specified
via heliocentric elliptical, hyperbolic or parabolic orbital elements to
accommodate solar system objects such as asteroids or comets.


Electron Demonstration (ELETRN1.LZH and ELETRN2.LZH)

Very good demonstration of how electrons work and their properties.
Includes the periodic table, and shows the flow of electrons through a diode.


Evo (EVO.LZH), by Steve bonner (1987)

A human evolution demonstration program. Gives background information
on the sapien class with a visual progression of changes through the 
years. Small glossary of terms also included within the program.


StarChart v1.2 (STARCHRT.LZH), by Ray R. Larson

StarChart is a program that lets you display and identify about 600
stars, galaxies and nebulae visible in the Northern hemisphere.
The display can be set for any location, time, and date.


CELLS v1.2 (CELLS.LHA), by Davide Cervone

CELLS is a program that allows you to create Cellular Automata based 
on the 2-dimensional cell-space called "WireWorld" using the set of states
and rules described in the January 1990 Computer Recreations column of the 
Scientific American magazine (Sci Amer, Jan 1990, pp 146-149). CELLS lets 
you create your own circuits in WireWorld and gives you the ability to see 
them in action, with electrons flowing through their cellular wires. There 
are many more Cellular Automation programs available, but this is a good 
one for introducing the concept.