Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives
By Elizabeth Walter, Jun 20, 2011
Some of you may have fond memories of summers spent kneeling by nearby streams, peering intently for crayfish to play with (or cook up for dinner!). These tiny, lobster-like creatures are a staple of freshwater ecosystems, southern menus, and even neuroscience classes. (No kidding — I learned about action potentials from a wonderful college professor … Read more “Help keep the crawdads from taking over!”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water
By John Ohab, Jun 17, 2011
Next week is National Pollinator Week! Pollinators, like bees, birds, and butterflies, play an important role in all of our lives. They aid in flowering plant reproduction, help ensure the health of national forests and grasslands, and work together with famers and ranchers in the production of fruits and vegetables. National Pollinator Week is a yearly … Read more “Celebrate Father’s Day at the Pollinator-Palooza”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Ecology & Environment, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By Elizabeth Walter, May 05, 2011
Up north, in Washington State’s tranquil San Juan Islands, members of the Kwiáht marine research team are hard at work keeping an eye on local sea life and terrestrial critters. Kwiaht, a word in the Coast Salish dialect, refers to a place that is physically healthy and spiritually clean. The group hopes to ensure the … Read more “Citizen scientists make a difference in the San Juans”
Categories: Animals, Bats, Chemistry, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water
By Elizabeth Walter, May 01, 2011
As a child growing up in New Hampshire, I remember going with my mother to collect Monarch chrysalises for my science classes. We’d park off a nearby roadway, spy a patch of milkweed, and poke around until we found a chrysalis or two. During the next week or so, my classmates and I watched spellbound … Read more “May is the month to monitor Monarchs”
Categories: Animals, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By Darlene Cavalier, Apr 28, 2011
This morning, my son spotted a squirrel from our window and said “Mom, hurry, take a picture!” (He’s grown accustomed to spotting and photographing squirrels, birds and insects for various citizen science projects. In this case, it’s for Project Squirrel.) I grabbed my iphone and, using its built in camera, snapped away as the squirrel … Read more “How Project Squirrel saved my dog.”
Categories: Birds, Citizen Science, Nature & Outdoors
By John Ohab, Apr 22, 2011
Today is Earth Day, a perfect excuse to get out and help the planet! Researchers need YOUR help tracking the presence of American robins, so they can compare your observations with other environmental data, including climate and weather changes. American robins are arriving in the Colorado Rockies 14 days earlier than they did 30 years ago … Read more “It’s Earth Day! Five ways to help the planet”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Geology & Earth Sciences, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By John Ohab, Apr 14, 2011
You’re invited to join Science for Citizens at the Philadelphia Science Festival Carnival on the Ben Franklin Parkway this Saturday, April 16! The festival promises to be an event like no other, with over 80 exhibitors offering non-stop family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, and a packed line-up of live entertainment. Best of all, the event … Read more “Join us at the Philadelphia Science Festival this Saturday”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By Anne Toomey,
Energy is a strange thing. It floats around you, fills you up until you’re about ready to burst, and then it skips off, leaving you to keep up as best you can. Last Thursday and Friday were two full days of such energy, when 60 professionals from such exotic places as Alaska, Colombia and New … Read more “Conversations about conservation: public participation in scientific research”
Categories: Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, In the News, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water, Science Education Standards, Science Policy
By Elizabeth Walter, Apr 13, 2011
As spring revs up to full gear, I enjoy taking runs around my neighborhood to enjoy the colorful bursts of flower and bits of cheerful birdsong. If you too have a soft-spot for feathered creatures, consider becoming a citizen science observer for one of these three great projects! If you live in a city or … Read more “Birds on the brain”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By John Ohab, Mar 19, 2011
Did you know that you can contribute to science by blowing bubbles? It’s true! The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network is asking citizen scientists in England to use bubbles to calculate wind direction and speed. All you need to do is create a “bubble cone” using a piece of paper and some tape. Then, with some … Read more “How to contribute to science by blowing bubbles”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Chemistry, Geology & Earth Sciences, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water
