Martin Dohrn filming a bumble bee hovering over a dandelion.

Inspire Your Community to Protect Local Pollinators

When the global pandemic hit, acclaimed wildlife filmmaker Martin Dohrn, locked down in his small city garden in Bristol, England, decided to turn the cameras on the wildlife in his backyard. He was particularly fascinated with the bees visiting his garden. Putting his unparalleled skills and cameras to use, he filmed more than 60 different … Read more “Inspire Your Community to Protect Local Pollinators”

Categories: Animals, Biology, Citizen Science Month, Ecology & Environment, Environment, Events, Insects, Nature & Outdoors

A species of milkweed butterfly, Idea blanchardii

How Citizen Scientists Uncovered the Strange Behavior of ‘Vampire’ Butterflies

When a group of friends met up in the tropical forests of Indonesia, they were expecting to take in the verdant surroundings and hopefully nab a few photos of the colorful butterflies that congregate in the area. That’s what Yi-Kai Tea and his buddies found on the island of Sulawesi, nestled in the midst of … Read more “How Citizen Scientists Uncovered the Strange Behavior of ‘Vampire’ Butterflies”

Categories: Biology, Nature & Outdoors

Exploring Biodiversity in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Erin Canter found her way to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, in eastern Tennessee, from what she describes as a very “stereotypical science” background: white coat, gloves, sequencing DNA in a lab. But “that didn’t quite do it for me,” she says. After six months spent mostly outdoors living in a tent while … Read more “Exploring Biodiversity in Great Smoky Mountains National Park”

Categories: Biology, Environment

Dog wearing sunglasses with the text Dog Days of Summer: Scistarter. Science we can do together.

Dog Days of Summer

National Dog Day is August 26. In honor of your furry friend, participate in these simple at-home projects to help researchers learn more about your pup! And use the Project Finder to search for exciting citizen science projects on any topic you can think of (yes, that includes cats). Cheers, The SciStarter Team  

Categories: Animals, Biology, Citizen Science

Watching plants with Project Budburst

Guest Post by Sarah Jones Learn more about Budburst on SciStarter. Link to https://scistarter.org/budburst Join Communities Across the World in Observing Plant Life Cycles – Any Plant, Any Place, Any Time! I haven’t always loved plants. I loved the animals that took shelter in branches, eating leaves and fruits. I loved the lake surrounded by trees … Read more “Watching plants with Project Budburst”

Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors

Exploring the Uses of BioBlitz Data: Twitter Chat on November 12

Guest Post by Troi Perkins (@theTroi) Over the past decade, citizen science has come to the forefront of environmental conservation and education. There are many tools in citizen science that brings people together, but none can boast the far-reaching effects that BioBlitzes have. A “BioBlitz” is an event where groups of scientists, academic professionals, and … Read more “Exploring the Uses of BioBlitz Data: Twitter Chat on November 12”

Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, CitSci Research, Use of Citizen Science data

Citizen Science and Biotechnology Breaking New Ground: Twitter Chat on November 12

All for Science, Science for All Guest post by Lauren Ramilo @dimisitque Biotechnology has advanced rapidly in the past decade. New discoveries and technological advances have made it easier to manipulate living organisms to make new antibiotics or improve agricultural production. The equipment and materials needed for rigorous biological engineering are more affordable than ever, … Read more “Citizen Science and Biotechnology Breaking New Ground: Twitter Chat on November 12”

Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, CitSci Research, Do-It-Yourself, Health, Science Practices

How Old Family Fishing Photos Unlock the History of Atlantic Fisheries

Rusty Hudson grew up on the salt-laden docks of Daytona Beach, Florida. As a third-generation fisherman, he naturally took to the industry. When he was just 9 years old, Hudson started his first job as a bait boy aboard the Mako, a charter boat owned by his grandfather, Captain Jake Stone. By the late 1960s, … Read more “How Old Family Fishing Photos Unlock the History of Atlantic Fisheries”

Categories: Biology

Are Clogged Blood Vessels the Key to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease?

In 2016, a team of Alzheimer’s disease researchers at Cornell University hit a dead end. The scientists were studying mice, looking for links between Alzheimer’s and blood flow changes in the brain. For years, scientists have known that reduced blood flow in the brain is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. More recent research has also … Read more “Are Clogged Blood Vessels the Key to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease?”

Categories: Alzheimers, Biology

The Science of Making a Wild Sourdough Starter

By now, you’ve  almost certainly heard the news: Homemade sourdough is the  greatest thing since, well, sliced bread.  Being stuck in quarantine gives many of us more time to do things around the house, like baking. And stores are short on household staples, including bread, so, sure, might as well give breadmaking a try. But why sourdough … Read more “The Science of Making a Wild Sourdough Starter”

Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Other