This is the first installment for a brand new series about citizen science in schools and classrooms. Teachers often hear the term citizen science, but it’s never really clear what it is and how it might integrate into their classrooms. Citizen science is methodical scientific research conducted in part (or sometimes entirely) by non-professional scientists. […]

The monarch butterfly is a remarkable species.  Each year these insects migrate in a similar pattern to birds from colder to warmer climates as the seasons change, often returning to the same overwintering sites every year.  Unlike birds, however, no single monarch lives long enough to make the whole migration, so the journey occurs across […]

Remember the game Mouse Trap? For those of you not familiar with it, Mouse Trap is a board game in which players build a contraption, using various tools and materials, in order to capture a toy mouse on the run. Players often build creative, elaborate traps that operate in various stages, with each distinct stage setting […]

Dig into this fabulous Thanksgiving menu of citizen science projects you can do between dinner and dessert! “It’s turkey-time!” Those words mean different things to different people—birdwatchers look forward to sighting hens with poults in the spring, hunters raise their glasses when turkey season opens, researchers foresee the final compilation of a summer citizen science count, […]

When you consider the field of citizen science you probably think of it as something you do by collecting data, taking pictures, finding plants or animals, or uploading sightings. There’s a new form of citizen science emerging called a “thought experiment.” You may be familiar with thought experiments like that of “Schrödinger’s Cat” or Einstein’s […]

Dig into even more Thanksgiving projects with your friends and family! Imagine: After months of treacherous sailing across the open ocean, skirting coral reefs and rocky shores, you alight upon lush tropical islands greeted by enticing aromas, unknown species, and a symphony of bird song… Four years into her circumnavigation of the globe, the HMS […]

This is an announcement from the Citizen Cyberscience Summit.   Following the successful Citizen Cyberscience Summits in 2010 and 2012, we are pleased to announce a third meeting in London on 20-22 February 2014. By citizen cyberscience, we refer to the wide range of activities that enable people from all walks of life to join […]

The hills are alive with citizen science. More musical projects for your ears and brain. This morning, I woke up after a good night’s rest, ready to take on the world. I was still lying in bed, thinking about how great it would be if I could just lace up and go out for a […]

This is a guest post from Bob Perciasepe. Appointed by President Obama in 2009 as the U.S. EPA’s Deputy Administrator, Bob Perciasepe continues a career spanning nearly four decades as one of the nation’s leading environmental and public policy figures. An expert on environmental stewardship, advocacy, public policy, and national resource and organizational management, Perciasepe […]

We’ve updated and reposted this Thanksgiving Day treat,  from Lily Bui! Dig into this serving of Thanksgiving projects with your friends and family! Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count Help researchers take census of winter Monarch butterflies. Count Monarchs in colonies, during the mornings around Thanksgiving. Get started!   Thanksgiving Day Western Bird Count Help monitor winter bird […]