Category: Environment

For thousands of years, people have been using fungi to bake bread and brew beer (yeasts), as nutritious foods (mushrooms and truffles), and, more recently, as a source of life-saving antibiotics (penicillin, neomycin and many more). And yet, an estimated 95% of all fungus species remain undiscovered. Fortunately, thousands of energetic citizen scientists like you […]

Freshwater macroinvertebrates. While not a household name, we’ve all experienced their impact. Ever swat a mosquito? Watched a dragonfly swoop by? Walked through a swarm of midges? Then you have seen a freshwater macroinvertebrate – albeit in its adult, terrestrial form.  Freshwater macroinvertebrates are organisms that live in freshwater (lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and wetlands) […]

Keeping people healthy also means keeping our environment free of pollutants and limiting our exposure to disease-causing microbes. In this issue of the SciStarter newsletter, we highlight projects that need your help researching and improving human and environmental health. Try one or all of them this month, as we commemorate Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Pollution Prevention Week (Sept. […]

Citizen science can be a time machine, with projects that transport you to the past through fragile photographs, ancient artifacts, and hand-written records. In some cases, these items tell stories, filling in missing pieces of our history. Sometimes they hold secrets that may prove to be vital to our future. Why not make some history […]

It’s July, ideal for cooling off with marine science exploration. In that spirit, here’s some wet and wild science research that needs your help. Sharks Are Jawsome! Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the television, it’s Shark Mania Season! If the wall to wall shark viewing frenzy puts you in […]

It’s the season for emergences, whether you’re a dragonfly, firefly, periodical cicada or fly fishing enthusiast! The warm weather brings a variety of citizen science opportunities, some of them fleeting, so we hope you can get outdoors and experience the wonders of nature with your friends and family, and help document them for the many […]

You might have heard that our world is out of balance. Ecosystems that need native plants and animals to flourish are plagued by human development and invasive species. Many of our local green spaces like yards, parks, and porches are home to mostly introduced, non-native plants that do little to maintain a healthy regional biodiversity. […]

It’s a packed week, with Earth Day, Arbor Day, The City Nature Challenge and more! The last full week of Citizen Science Month is jam packed! It’s the week of Earth Day, Arbor Day, Noise Awareness Day, and the City Nature Challenge! Find a project and report your Act of Science here. Just creating a […]

The solar eclipse is the big event of the second week of Citizen Science Month, with activities for folks who will be in the eclipse path and also for those who aren’t. There are also other great citizen science activities, celebrating National Pet Day, National Library Week, and more!  One Million Acts Of Science Challenge SciStarter […]

It’s Women’s History Month AND Citizen Science Month is nearly upon us. And that’s why we have Rosie the Robot urging everyone to roll up their sleeves and do their part by signing up for the One Million Acts of Science Challenge! If we all work together We Can Do It! Celebrate Maria Mitchell, awesome […]