The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is the hub of the Human Genome Project and one of the 24 institutes that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest biomedical research facility in the world. For accurate information about all aspects of the Human Genome Project and a wealth of carefully compiled resources, including a glossary of genetic terms and an extensive guide to other genome-related Web sites, visit the NHGRI site.

Have you ever wished your dictionary could speak to you? The NHGRI's genome glossary offers a definition for almost any genetic term you can think of, provides a clear illustration of the term, invites you to explore related terms, and - ta da! - you can hear each term explained aloud by a specialist in the field of genetics.

The NHGRI recently released a free, online multimedia education kit for students, teachers, and anyone else who's interested. View a video documentary about the Human Genome Project, explore animated molecules and cells, and browse an interactive timeline, among other things. You can also order a free CD-ROM version of the kit at this site.

There are thousands of Web sites related to genomics. This jump site regularly updates its annotated list of links and promises to help you sort through the genome Web jungle to find the best online resources.

GenomeWeb is another useful jump site. Unlike Ensembl, GenomeWeb arranges its lists of links by category. If you are looking for information on a particular topic, say, a list of the top biogenetics research companies in the world, this site may be just what you need.

Celera Genomics, run by Craig Venter, is the private-venture genome sequencing lab featured in the NOVA program "Cracking the Code of Life." Celera's Web site is a rich resource, full of thoughtfully arranged educational features and up-to-the-minute genome news information. This link to their News Network, "an editorially independent publication of Celera Genomics, Inc.," will keep you in the know about recent genome developments.

This Web site takes the concept of interactivity to the nth degree. Roll up your sleeves and visit the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's DNA Learning Center, where you'll find dozens of sophisticated genetic activities and games in Shockwave and Flash.

Science Magazine, living up to its good name in print, presents this comprehensive Web site as a companion to its recent genome special issue. The site offers lists of links as well as articles and reviews related to genomics and biotechnology.

MIT's Whitehead Institute is one of the five major sequence producers in the international Human Genome Project and is one of the laboratories featured in "Cracking the Code of Life." At Whitehead's site, you'll find updated information about the progress of the project from its end, genome maps and databases, and a large cache of genome-related resources.

Looking for more information about patenting genes? Look no further. The USPTO's Web site contains several pertinent pages, though they are impossible to find unless you are an insider. Navigate to the URL listed above, then choose the link to the "Utility Examination Guidelines" (January 5, 2001).

GeneCards, provided by the Weizmann Institute of Science and Bioinformatics, is a database of human genes and their relationship to diseases. It offers concise information about the functions of all the human genes we know about, and allows you to scroll through the code for each gene listed. This site may be best left alone by the layman, as it is geared primarily towards scientists and researchers.

The NCBI is a national resource for molecular biology data. It creates databases and develops software for analyzing genome data. At the NCBI site, you can explore a draft of the human genome sequence with a few clicks of your mouse.

For more information about Tay-Sachs, a genetic disorder, visit the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Web site.

For more information about Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disorder, visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Web site.

For more information about breast cancer, visit the American Cancer Society's Breast Cancer Resource Center.

Cameron and Hayden Lord's stories are featured in "Cracking the Code of Life." Their parents began a foundation in their honor to provide resources for parents with terminally ill children, particularly those who suffer from Tay-Sachs. To learn more about Tay-Sachs or to peruse this thoughtful site for tips on caring for terminally ill children, visit this site.

Slate's collection of genome-related cartoons by the wryest cartoonists from around the world will tickle your funny bone after a long day of genome Web surfing.

Sub-subtitled "Craig Venter, Francis Collins, James Watson, and the Story of the Greatest Scientific Discovery of Our Time," this book engagingly chronicles the decoding of the human genome from the discovery of the double helix in the 1950s to the White House announcement in June 2000 that the first draft of the sequence was complete. Davies wrote our feature Nature vs Nurture Revisited.

A provocative examination of the ethical and moral questions surrounding molecular medicine, by a philosopher at Columbia who is also the subject of our interview Manipulating Genes.

Ridley, a former science editor for The Economist, uses a newly discovered gene from each pair of human chromosomes as a springboard to tell the story of our species from its very beginnings to the dawn of human genetic engineering.