Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives
By John Ohab, Mar 04, 2011
iPhones, Androids phones, and other mobile devices are making it incredibly easy for citizen scientists to make observations and share their findings with researchers. Mobile apps are already aiding the study of wildlife, invasive plant species, and even acoustics, just to name a few. You could say that apps are the hottest thing in citizen science! … Read more “Temperature Blast: a new mobile app for climate studies”
Categories: Citizen Science
By John Ohab, Feb 28, 2011
This is National Invasive Species Awareness Week! Invasive species represent a significant threat to native plants, animals, and humans. They cause enormous disruptions in the natural ecological balance, inducing erosion, crowding out food sources, and reducing biodiversity. Invasive species are also a significant drain on the national economy. If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area today … Read more “Get involved in National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2011”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Ecology & Environment, Geology & Earth Sciences, In the News, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Science Policy
By John Ohab, Feb 21, 2011
Have you ever seen the Milky Way from where you live? Most of us have not, and it’s largely due to increased light pollution from outdoor lighting. Light pollution not only wastes billions of dollars a year in energy and money but it causes human sleep disorders and disrupts habits critical to ecology. Globe at … Read more “Be a star: join the international star-hunt!”
Categories: Apps, Astronomy & Space, Computers & Technology, Nature & Outdoors
By Anne Toomey, Feb 18, 2011
Ponder for a moment this quote written by Aldo Leopold in the late 1940s: “We can be ethical only in relation to something we can see, feel, understand, or otherwise have faith in.” Food for thought, especially if you are a citizen scientist like I am. And even more so if you are a citizen … Read more “How citizen science will save the planet”
Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards, Science Policy
By John Ohab, Feb 17, 2011
Shake off your Valentine’s Day chocolate-induced haze and break out those binoculars: The Great Backyard Bird Count 2011 takes place this Friday through next Monday, February 18 to 21. The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event during which bird watchers count birds to create a real-time snapshot of where birds are located … Read more “Join The Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend!”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors
By Elizabeth Walter, Feb 10, 2011
As we mentioned in an earlier post, Bard College recently created an intensive three-week program in citizen science to be taken by all freshmen each January. I was able to discuss the tremendously successful inaugural session with one of the program’s instructors, Dr. Kate Seip. Seip, a postdoctoral researcher at The Rockefeller University, had participated … Read more “The first class of Citizen Scientists: Faculty perspective”
Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Science Education Standards
By John Ohab, Feb 08, 2011
A new partnership between Microsoft and the European Environmental Agency is combining detailed scientific information on air and water quality with observations made by citizen scientists. Ever wondered about the air quality in Copenhagen? Or perhaps the water quality in Paris? Eye on Earth uses Microsoft’s Bing Maps to combine goespatial and environmental data from … Read more “Keep your eye on the Earth”
Categories: Computers & Technology, Ecology & Environment, Geology & Earth Sciences, Health, Ocean & Water
By John Ohab, Jan 28, 2011
As record levels of snow blanket much of the United States this year, Science For Citizens is collaborating with an important climate research project at the University of Waterloo called Snow Tweets. We’re pleased that this is the first of many scientific projects that you’ll be able to do on Science for Citizens. To help researchers … Read more “Snowed In? Contribute to Science!”
Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Computers & Technology, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water
By Darlene Cavalier, Jan 26, 2011
Science for Citizens has teamed up with cryosphere researchers at the University of Warterloo to collect snow-depth measurements from around the world. These measurements are used to track climate changes. So, join thousands of other citizen scientists, like Paul, and find a fresh patch of snow, plunge a ruler in it, and report the measurement. You’ll … Read more “Measure your snow, help the planet!”
Categories: Citizen Science
By Elizabeth Walter, Jan 24, 2011
Ever spotted an amazing critter and wanted to tell your nature-loving friends where it was located? Ever wondered where you could view a white-tailed jackrabbit? WildObs is the app for you! Short for “wildlife observations,” the WildObs website and suite of iPhone and Android apps allow nature enthusiasts to record wildlife observations and then share … Read more “Want to “geocache” wildlife? There’s an App for that!”
Categories: Animals, Apps, Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Computers & Technology, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors
