Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives
Science for Citizens is getting some attention over at Motherboard.TV, an online video network. Co-founder Michael Gold and I were interviewed by Jordan Keenan of Motherboard this past spring at Harvard during the Humanity Plus Summit where I spoke about citizen science. Here are the slides from that presentation. You’re welcome to them. In the … Read more “And now, a word from our egos”
Categories: Citizen Science, In the News
Exciting news for all you lookers—that is, you folks who like to consume your information visually. We’ve just opened up a new wing of our site that features citizen science-flavored video: the Video Gallery. Please click on over and check out, among other video adventures, underwater footage of the camera-stealing manta ray, a visit with … Read more “Science for Citizens adds video”
Categories: Citizen Science
While there might be a lot of metaphorical hot air hovering around Washington, D.C., hazardous weather is no joke. Volunteer scary-weather spotters are needed for many chapters of the SkyWarn network, including the unit that keeps an eye on the sky throughout the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Volunteers are needed to report what the atmospheric forces have … Read more “Keep an eye out for hot air over Washington, D.C.”
Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Nature & Outdoors
There’s a mystery in the night sky that you can help solve. Every 27 years, in the constellation called Auriga (the charioteer), a bright star designated epsilon goes dim for nearly two years. Epsilon Aurigae is a “binary eclipsing variable star,” which is astronomer-speak for a star that appears to change brightness as an orbiting … Read more “Citizen Sky needs citizen scientists”
Categories: Astronomy & Space, Citizen Science, Science Education Standards
Crisp fall air in the northeastern Appalachian Mountains will soon signal trees to splash entire hillsides with red, yellow, and orange as far as the eye can see. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) hopes that many future generations of hikers will be able to enjoy similarly colorful views to the horizon. However, they need your … Read more “Mountain monitors needed”
Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors
Ruth Brooks, a gardener with a soft spot for snails, has just won the BBC’s “So You Want to Be a Scientist?” contest. You may recall that she was our favorite when we reported in April on the four finalists for the contest. Brooks’s ground-breaking (if slow) project showed that, contrary to what many scientists … Read more “Snail sleuth wins BBC amateur scientist contest”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Citizen Science, Contest, In the News, Nature & Outdoors
On Saturday, September 18, citizen scientists from Virginia to Hawaii will dip jars into rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, and the ocean, and perform simple tests to measure the quality of their local waters. It’s all part of World Water Monitoring Day, an annual international event designed to raise awareness about the need to protect our … Read more “Saturday is World Water Monitoring Day”
Categories: Ocean & Water
Love ’em or not, squirrels play an important role in local ecology. Mapping changes in their population can help researchers better understand–and predict–a range of corollary environmental changes. As described on the Project Squirrel website, “Squirrels can be important indicators of local ecology because they are resident in small territories and active year round, they … Read more “Squirrels: spot, jot, share your sightings”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment
Whether tackling the mysteries of the universe or studying birds in the backyard, citizen science projects rely on collaboration between scientists, volunteers, teachers, students, and many other dedicated participants. One great example from our Project Finder is the Global Telescope Network, an informal association of amateur astronomers who partner with scientists to conduct cutting-edge astronomy research. Using … Read more “Rad Astronomy: Interview with Global Telescope Network Director Kevin McLin”
Categories: Astronomy & Space, Computers & Technology, Physics
Looking for a convenient way to identify birds during your next citizen science excursion? Consider the WildLab Bird iPhone app, which uses photographs, audio, and maps to help you determine which bird you’ve spotted and makes it easy to share the observation with researchers at Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology. Here’s how it works: Visit … Read more “Don’t know a chickadee from a warbler? There’s an app for that!”
Categories: Animals, Apps, Birds, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
