SEMANTIC WEB

At the outset, the reader should note that the blossoming Semantic Web remains in its infancy stage of development. The Semantic Web remains a work in progress. The Semantic Web is yet to come into its own in terms of it being a fully functional and mature global means of communications. At the present point in time as of 2015, the Semantic Web can best be described as being one of those futuristic technologies. The Semantic Web can best be described as being a novel concept that remains on the architect's drawing board.

Also, at the outset, the reader should note that this page is displayed best when using the latest version of your web browser. Pardon me for any inconvenience that you may experience when attempting to view this page. This page utilizes Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) web technology. CLICK HERE for browser upgrade information if you cannot see either of the three graphics on this page. This page appears to render properly when using the Firefox and SeaMonkey web browsers.

How is the Semantic Web distinguished from the conventional web? The most distinctive thing about the Semantic Web is this: The focus of the Semantic Web is on interrelationships, interconnections, or the ability to make specific linkages between disparate data sources. The chief method that the Semantic Web uses to make these interconnections is through its use of metadata. The Semantic Web is only as effective as the underlying metadata.

The first graphic below is meant to illustrate how the conventional web renders information. Say, for instance, you wanted to study the Solar System. After querying the conventional web, you might receive results that resemble the following graphic:

Whereas the above Solar System illustration is somewhat specific, in reality, your query of the conventional web might return a combination of relevant, irrelevant, and general results. It would remain for you to drill down further on the returned results in order to find the specific information you sought.

A query of the Semantic Web, on the other hand, returns more specific results. Depending on your query, all of the relevant interconnections automatically would be provided.

The next graphic is meant to illustrate how the Semantic Web renders information. In this simplistic illustration of a Solar System query of the Semantic Web, results are returned whereby a relationship is drawn between the Sun and the planets. The graphic reveals that all of the planets are linked to or are focused on the Sun. The Sun becomes the central focal point in the Solar System query. The Sun becomes the center of the Solar System. The graphic also reveals that, whereas Earth is focused on the Sun, the Moon is focused on Earth (as its satellite). The accompanying legend depicts these Solar System interconnections or linkages. You also can navigate the graphic from the legend. Click the Sun or one of the planets to reveal the legend.

To take it another step, in querying the Solar System, you also might request for the query to draw links or foci between planets, too, based on additional attributes such as their composition (solid versus gaseous), sizes, the presence of satellites, and so forth. The Semantic Web's capacity to make linkages or interconnections between seemingly disparate data is where it aims to excel above the conventional web. This simplistic illustration does not include these additional linkages.

Perhaps some of the best deployments of Semantic Web concepts and principles at a micro, limited, or self-contained level would be graph databases. These graph databases generally are utilized internally by large corporations and organizations. These graph databases are used to perform various kinds of [Big Data] analyses specific to the needs of the corporation or organization. Several examples of graph databases in their various incarnations include OrientDB, GraphBase, AllegroGraph, and Neo4j.

The final graphic below, the Moon Phase Visualizer, is brought to you courtesy of Arun Kumar. This graphic is reproduced here for educational and entertainment purposes. This final graphic depicts the daily Earth-Moon dynamic with the ever-present Sun overlooking and guiding the process.

Finally, in closing, the following two videos provide a glimpse of the bigger picture. What is the bigger picture? The bigger picture is this: Humans live in a Universe comprised of more than a billion galaxies and more than a trillion stars. Yet, there is only one planet Earth. There is only one atmosphere to support all life on Earth. There is only one all-important living species on Earth—the human species.

Why is the human species so important compared to the other living species on Earth? The answer is because the human species appears to be the only species that is capable of completely disrupting and destroying the ecological balance of life on Earth. Due to its scientific and technological advancements, the human species appears to be the only species that is capable of destroying the whole of life on Earth (say, through a global exchange of nuclear weapons or by some nefarious-minded humans deliberately unleashing some type of viral global pandemic). Let there be peace on Earth, prosperity for all, and goodwill between humans. Let there be Heaven on Earth for the living to enjoy each day.

Why is there so much attention devoted to the Solar System? For starters, greater Solar System awareness might lead humans to gain a deeper appreciation and respect for their miraculous planet Earth where life teems. Within the context of the broader Universe, the Solar System happens to be the nearby domain, local neighborhood, or playground for humans to roam and explore. After thoroughly exploring their local neighborhood, on some future date, perhaps humans will be ready to venture beyond the Solar System in the flesh, which would mark the first step towards human colonization of deep space. So far, as of 2015, humans have only ventured to the Moon in the flesh (which represents an average distance of 384,400 kilometers or 238,855 miles from Earth). Thanks to Sir Isaac Newton, humans have come a long way in that the Earth is no longer the limit, but they have a long way yet to go before colonizing deep space.

NOTE: Please view your browser's page source for a list of resources used to create this page (generally, by right clicking the mouse).