![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20150516121039im_/http://www.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/0CF23F49-E172-48F3-A79955443128B06B.jpg)
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Matteo Garbelotto
DATES: Ongoing
What Is Citizen Science?
Research often involves teams of scientists collaborating across continents. Now, using the power of the Internet, non-specialists are participating, too. Citizen Science falls into many categories. A pioneering project was SETI@Home, which has harnessed the idle computing time of millions of participants in the search for extraterrestrial life. Citizen scientists also act as volunteer classifiers of heavenly objects, such as in Galaxy Zoo. They make observations of the natural world, as in The Great Sunflower Project. And they even solve puzzles to design proteins, such as FoldIt. We'll add projects regularly—and please tell us about others you like as well.
Projects
-
Space
Zooniverse: Planet 4
Help planetary scientists identify and measure features on the Martian surface while also helping improve the design of future Zooniverse projects
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing -
Energy & Sustainability
Zooniverse: Orchid Observers [U.K.]
Help scientists better understand the effects that climate change is having on orchids in the U.K.
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
MicroBlitz [Western Australia]
University of Western Australia researchers are looking for citizen scientists to send them soil samples from around the state to better understand region’s biodiversity and environmental health
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Andy Whiteley DATES: Ongoing -
Health
Go Viral
Research program collects fluid specimens from the community and analyzes them with the latest molecular diagnostics instruments
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Rumi Chunara DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
Citizen Science Soil Collection Program
Help University of Oklahoma scientists study microscopic life in search of new drug compounds
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Robert Cichewicz DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Asteroid Data Hunter
Protecting the Earth from the threat of asteroid impacts means first knowing where they are
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
Migratory Dragonfly Partnership
Join a growing citizen science community working together to increase knowledge about North America’s five main migratory dragonfly species
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Celeste Mazzacano DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Zooniverse: Science Gossip
Help researchers classify Victorian-era science drawings and map the origins of citizen science
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Reverse the Odds
Analyze real cancer data by playing a mobile game
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Anne Kiltie and Gareth Thomas DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
Nanocrafter
A game that challenges players to build nanoscale devices using small pieces of DNA
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing -
Health
Play to Cure: Genes in Space
Free mobile game that uses the collective force of players to analyze real genetic data
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Hannah Keartland DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Weather-IT
A series of weather-related citizen science projects
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Maria Aristeidou DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
Mitten Crab Watch
Help scientists track the invasive Mitten Crab threatening U.S. waters
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing -
Mind & Brain
Ignore That!
Help researchers better understand people’s ability to ignore unnecessary information
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Joshua Hartshorne DATES: Ongoing -
Evolution
Canid Howl Project
Help researchers understand the communication of wolves, dogs and coyotes
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
Fatty Acids: The 6th Taste? (Denver, Colo.)
Help Denver’s community-based Genetics of Taste Lab explore the possibility that there are more than just the five known tastes of sweet, sour, salty, umami (savory) and bitter
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Nicole Garneau/Richard Mattes DATES: Ongoing -
Space
Lost at Night
Help astrophysicists georeference the position of cities which appear in images taken from the International Space Station (ISS)
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: José Gómez Castaño DATES: Ongoing -
More Science
Marine Metre Squared
New Zealand citizen scientists monitor the diversity living things found on beaches
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing -
Space
Zooniverse: Asteroid Zoo
Scientists scanning our solar system need your help to find asteroids for the exploration of their mineral properties
More »
PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Various DATES: Ongoing