Citizen Science

Amphibians all over the world are fighting for survival. Fortunately, citizen scientists like you can help them, especially if you live near streams and vernal pools where they breed each spring. (Photo: Brett Amy Thelen)

(Correction: We incorrectly referred to Brett Amy Thelen as a herpetologist; she is a conservation biologist with expertise in amphibian conservation.)

Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are:

Salamander Crossing Brigades

Harris Center for Conservation Education

Herp Mapper

What The Herp?

SciStarter Citizen Science Month

In this episode, we explore the romance of citizen science: how through citsci you can not only find birds, bugs, plants, and stars but also new friends and just maybe that special someone.

In this episode, we explore the romance of citizen science: how through citsci you can not only find birds, bugs, plants, and stars but also new friends and just maybe that special someone.

Projects and websites mentioned in this podcast are:

Globe At Night

iNaturalist

Library Telescope Project

Science Near Me

Never Home Alone

Budburst

Stall Catchers

Health eHeart

Great Backyard Bird Count

Whenever you're out frolicking in a winter wonderland, why not take a frolicking break every now and then to measure snow depth for your friends at the Community Snow Observations project? Your observations will help them verify data obtained from satellites and other remote sensing tools, and also fill in both spatial and temporal gaps in their datasets. Having a good handle on snow depth over space and time helps climate researchers, hydrologists, foresters and also specialists who track avalanche and flood threats. Then you can resume frolicking, now with the satisfaction that comes from having done your part to contribute to important science research.

Projects and apps mentioned in this podcast include:

Community Snow Observations project

Snow Scope

SnowPilot

CitSci.org

regObs

Image credit: David Hill, Oregon State University

Join host Bob Hirshon, SciStarter founder Darlene Cavalier, Arizona State University's Deron Ash, Henry Reges from the weather watching project CoCoRaHS, and children's book author Susan Edwards Richmond for a special holiday podcast, featuring over a dozen great gift ideas for citizen science lovers!

(Image: The crew of Expedition 46 decorated the International Space Station's Cupola module, a 360-degree series of windows that provides a stunning view of Earth for observations. Wikimedia, Public Domain.)

Links to projects and websites mentioned in this podcast:

Globe at Night

AirCasting

Raven CleanAir Map

CO2 Monitor Review in New York Times Wirecutter

iNaturalist

CoCoRaHS

Susan Edwards Richmond

Links to Gift Ideas:

Books!

The Field Guide to Citizen Science by Darlene Cavalier

BioBlitz! & BirdCount by Susan Edwards Richmond

Citizen Science Tools!

Airbeam 3

Sky Quality Meter (SQM-L) Discount Code: GAN-USE

Aranet 4 Home (Email Dr. Freimark @ [email protected] to request a discount)

CoCoRaHS Rain Gauge and The Year-End Fundraiser

For more ideas, visit our Library Build-A-Kit Page to find supplemental supplies to participate in specific citizen science projects

Recommendation by a LIVE attendee: Foldscopes (Great gift for teachers!)

Thousands of mycophiles took to the forest in October to document as many mushrooms as they could, as part of the first annual Great North American FungiQuest. In this podcast, we spoke with Robert Courteau, project creator and also founder of the non-profit group Think Fungi.

Projects and other links relevant to this podcast are:

The Great North American Fungi Quest

ThinkFungi

Mushroom Observer

With forests being wiped out worldwide by climate change, deforestation, pests and plagues, trees need all the help they can get. Pitch in by learning about citizen forestry and joining the citizen science projects featured in this episode.

Girl Scout Tree Promise

NASA GLOBE Observer: Trees

TreeSnap

Trees Please! Help the Girl Scouts and NASA/GLOBE Protect the Planet (Video)

This month we're heading back to school to see how teachers and even college professors are making citizen science a part of their classroom instruction.

Projects and Websites mentioned in this podcast include:

SciStarter Education Page

Seek Education

Project Squirrel

iNaturalist

GLOBE Observer: Trees

Journey North

Globe at Night

Undergraduate Student Experiences with Citizen Science Network (USECitSci)

In this podcast episode, we celebrate National Dog Day (August 26th) with some canine citizen science. Scientists would like to learn about dog personalities and genetics; what traits help them perform well as service animals; and how environmental factors could affect their health. If you have a canine companion, you have the perfect lab partner!

Projects featured in the podcast include:

C-BARQ

https://scistarter.org/c-barq-and-fe-barq

Darwin's Ark

https://scistarter.org/darwins-ark

Also, check out this study from Darwin's Ark, published in the journal Science, based on data provided by citizen scientists!

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639

Beat the summer heat by taking a refreshing dip into an ocean of marine citizen science activities, including swimming with sharks, chatting with manatees and sleuthing out sea dragons.

Projects featured in the podcast include:

eShark (on the eOcean platform)

Wildbook for Whale Sharks (from Wild.me)

Manatee Chat