Science and Second Life

ScienceNews has an interesting article about research being conducted at Drexel University, the University of Denver and elsewhere in Second Life. It notes the growing number of educators and researchers exploring the potential of the online virtual world.
For example, "Dr. Bob Vandeverre," the Second Life alter ego of University of Denver physicist Robert Amme, is building a virtual nuclear reactor to help train the next generation of environmental engineers on how to deal with nuclear waste.
Drexel neuroscientist Corey Hart, or "Luciftias Neurocam" as he is known, has been busy studying the muscle movements of a "Simfrog," one of the many "living" creatures that survive, evolve and interact in the Second Life ecosystem.
Hart's virtual island, Second Nature 3, is programmed to allow other users to develop and release plants or animals onto the island. As in real life, this practice has the potential of upsetting the balance of the ecosystem. Says Hart:

“Sometimes they get out of hand, and I have to go in and play God and kill something off because it was poorly designed,” he says, recounting the example of a prolific seed-producing plant that created havoc on the island. The plant spewed scads of ill-adapted seeds into the air. Because they were not programmed to take root and sprout, the seeds tumbled when they hit the ground, steamrolling over other plants and creating a pileup in the island ravine. The island’s computer responded by crashing.