When we think about climate change, we usually picture extreme temperatures, mega-storms, and rising seas disrupting our collective future. But climate change is also erasing our past. At our poles, melting ice is exposing and washing out new archeological discoveries. In the world’s arid regions, severe sandstorms are unearthing and eroding buried treasures. And on […]

Water: We can’t live without it. Photo: USFWS Water is one of our most precious natural resources, so it’s not surprising that there are hundreds of scientists in need of your help to keep an eye on rivers, streams, lakes, oceans, and taps.  Below, our editors highlight five water monitoring projects. You can find hundreds […]

In the next two posts, as part of our SciStarter in the Classroom collection, guest contributor Ben Graves will share his personal experiences and advice for using citizen science in the classroom. Graves is a fellow with the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation, which supports a small cohort of early-career teachers across the United States with intensive professional development. […]

As students head back to school, more and more teachers are using citizen science in their classrooms to give students authentic science experiences. Below, our editors highlight some of the many excellent citizen science projects that work well in classrooms. You can find even more with the SciStarter Global Project Finder. Cheers! The SciStarter Team

The beauty of citizen science is that it gives non-professional researchers the chance to get up close and personal with science. But when SciStarter interviewed citizen scientists this summer, they learned that the number one reason volunteers quit a project was because the scientists never replied to them. Think about all of your experiences collecting data from your […]

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums annual meeting starts this week. We wanted to share this quick information sheet about how SciStarter can be used with your museum, zoo, aquarium, or science center. Please feel free to share or distribute at the meeting. What is SciStarter? SciStarter is a popular online citizen science “hotspot” featuring […]

Going out of your way to attract mosquitoes seems like the last thing anyone would want to do, but that is exactly what the national Invasive Mosquito Project is hoping volunteers will do in the name of public health. Managed through the United States Department of Agriculture, the Invasive Mosquito Project aims to track the spread of […]

Walking through Purisima Creek Redwoods Reserve in northern California, I am the paparazzi of Western sword ferns (Polystichum munitum). When I find one, I stop and click, click, click my smartphone photos and then approach boldly for a closer look. Are new leaves emerging as curled fronds or fiddleheads? Are there round spots called sori—reproductive […]

Nonscientists should take part in discussions about research priorities and more. This article, Citizen Science Isn’t Just About Collecting Data, originally appeared in Slate AUG. 15 2016 7:31 AM. The earthquake near Washington, D.C., five years ago in August 2011—the one that damaged the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral but had little other noticeable impact—caught […]

Photo: NPS Celebrate the National Parks with Citizen Science On August 25, the United States National Park Service turns 100! The park system provides many excellent citizen science opportunities to visitors. Below, you’ll find five great national park projects. Find even more projects with the SciStarter Global Project Finder. Cheers! The SciStarter Team