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OnScreen DNA will be priced at $19.53 instead of its normal $69 until April 25, the date on which scientists and teachers celebrate the 1953 breakthrough discovery of the DNA double helix structure. OnScreen DNA Pro will be reduced by the same dollar amount to a price of $49.53. While aimed primarily at high school and college biology teachers for use in computer labs or classroom demonstrations, the software is well suited for self-teaching and requires very little previous knowledge.
The virtual model consists of thirty-five base pairs (substantially more than most hardware models), color-coded and correlated with a separate on-screen linear representation of the sequence of nucleotide bases, thus providing an economical alternative or supplement to a hardware model, with the additional power of being able to simulate processes that involve separation and reconnection of DNA strands.
OnScreen DNA features on-screen tutorial guides that lead students through 3D animations of the crucial DNA processes of gene transcription and DNA replication, explaining clearly what is happening at each step. The roles of different enzymes are highlighted in a memorable way. Simulations of two processes important in biotechnology--denaturing or separation of DNA strands and renaturing or reconstitution of the double helix are also part of the program. In addition to the on-screen activity guides, OnScreen DNA includes on-screen tests, the results of which can be saved to disk, to provide feedback to teacher and student, as well as to aid in student evaluation if the teacher desires to use them so.
OnScreen Science also offers two other editions of OnScreen DNA: OnScreen DNA Lite (a free download ), which concentrates on the structure of DNA and OnScreen DNA Pro, which empowers the user to control the DNA simulations by enzyme activation and nucleotide selection in nucleic acid chain-building activities.
OnScreen DNA is available from OnScreen Science, Inc., 46 Wallace St. Somerville, MA 02144 or online at http://www.onscreen-dna.com. During the period of the specal promotion, ten-computer site licenses are also reduced in price proportionally.
OnScreen Science, Inc. publishes Ph.D.-scientist-designed software for science education tasks particularly benefiting from computer simulations. In addition to OnScreen DNA, the company also offers OnScreen Particle Physics, a highly regarded simulation of a particle detection chamber for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms.
For more information, visit:
http://www.onscreen-sci.com
Tags: Software Updates ď Education ď
