Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives
If you like Phoebe Allens, the famous Allen’s hummingbird whose comings and goings are video-recorded in a southern California yard, then you should know about The Animal Detector. The Animal Detector is a video blog devoted to the nocturnal critters that visit the backyard of University of North Carolina developmental biologist Bob Goldstein. One night … Read more “A webcam for things that go bump in the night”
Our pal, Elsa Youngsteadt, at Sigma Xi (one of the oldest and largest scientific organizations in the world) asked us to invite you to participate in an online conversation taking place right now over at The World: Science. Elsa co-produces the popular science podcast for The World, a daily international news magazine broadcast on public radio stations … Read more “Want to chat with the physicists from Einstein@home?”
Categories: Astronomy & Space, Citizen Science, Computers & Technology
You are cordially invited to what might be called a worldwide moon-up. September 18 is International Observe the Moon Night, when, if the program’s organizers get their wish, people all over the world will collectively gaze up and admire the dry seas, mountain peaks, fields of rubble, and, of course, the craters of our planet’s … Read more “Crowd-viewing the moon: September 18”
Categories: Astronomy & Space
A recent bike ride took me past a dead buck lying by the side the road – a testament to the dangers faced by both animals and people as we continue to build out our roadways. A few miles later, after noticing the remains of a couple of unfortunate squirrel-car encounters, I started to wonder … Read more “Where did the turtle cross the road?”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
The child you scold for spending so much time on World of Warcraft? That kid could turn out to be a biochemist’s dream. According to University of Washington researchers who run an online game—sorry—an online science project called Foldit, players can beat computer algorithms at solving one of science’s toughest problems: How to fold a … Read more “Game on for volunteer protein folders”
Categories: Biology, Chemistry, Citizen Science, Computers & Technology
As this little guy peers through a jellyfish on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, hundreds of citizen scientists are recording their jelly observations on the Mediterranean island of Malta. Malta’s Spot the Jellyfish program is run by the International Ocean Institute and the University of Malta, inpartnership with the Malta Tourism Authority, among others. Why … Read more “Spot the jellyfish – here or in Malta”
Categories: Animals, Citizen Science, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water
For those citizen scientists in the western states who like staying up late, here’s your chance to spy on some winged mammals for science. Two monitoring projects still need your help observing and listening for bats this summer. Citizen scientists in Seattle are needed to help researchers determine what types of bats are chirping in … Read more “Two batty science projects”
Categories: Animals, Bats, Biology, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Insects, Nature & Outdoors
On the list of reasons to watch The Rachel Maddow Show, one wouldn’t ordinarily expect to find “lessons in ornithology” near the top. Well, after Monday night’s show, that’s exactly what viewers got! In the video clip below, Maddow explains how she was recently walking her dog in a western Massachusetts forest when she heard … Read more “Is Rachel Maddow a citizen scientist?”
Categories: Animals, Birds, Computers & Technology, In the News, Nature & Outdoors
Scientists all over the northeast want to know more about where native owls live and roam. By keeping mice and other small rodents in check, owls perform a critical function in suburban ecosystems. But researchers don’t yet understand why owls survive well in some suburban areas and not in others. So, all you citizen scientists … Read more “Night owls needed”
Categories: Animals, Birds, Nature & Outdoors
Is your yard for the birds? This fall, Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology will unveil YardMap, a citizen science project that asks participants to map their yards and green spaces to help researchers better understand where birds live. The project provides a Google satellite image of your yard (or another green space of your choice), … Read more “Map an important bird habitat: your own backyard”
Categories: Birds, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors
