Citizen Science
How tech is turning science into a hobby
From astronomy to video games, consumer technology is helping people pursue their interests while also advancing community science.
A nun built a hydroelectric plant that’s providing free power to a town in Africa
Blackouts are a daily disruption in the country, which sources most of its electricity from a run-down and mismanaged hydropower system.
Inspired by kombucha tea, engineers create living materials
A symbiotic culture of specialized yeast and bacteria can generate tough materials able to perform a variety of functions.
A physician didn’t shower for 5 years. Here’s what he found out.
Hygiene rituals are as old as recorded civilization, but capitalism has spurred us to use increasingly elaborate and expensive regimens.
Major earthquake in Haiti tracked by citizen seismologists
Private citizens are helping scientists study the recent earthquake in Haiti by hosting low-cost quake-monitoring devices.
Amateur astronomer discovers new moon of Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has spotted an unknown moon of Jupiter, marking the first discovery of a planetary moon by a non-professional.
Citizen scientists helped NASA map our cosmic backyard
NASA was able to create a highly detailed 3D map of nearby brown dwarfs thanks to the efforts of 150,000 citizen scientists.
Smart vibrator helps scientists study female orgasms
The Lioness Sex Research Platform is helping scientists study female orgasms by providing anonymized data collected by a smart vibrator.
Help scientists figure out whether brain training apps work
To figure out how people might benefit from brain training apps, researchers are looking for 30,000 volunteers willing to play brain games science.