citizen science

By identifying Wolbachia in arthropods, science-enthusiast citizens can help researchers sample the bacteria’s hosts.

A scientist’s quest for microbes that produce purple pigments led her to the vibrant world of natural dyes, where biology and traditional artistry intertwine.

Genomicist Mehrdad Hajibabaei empowers Canadian communities to monitor bioindicator species in their local freshwater ecosystems.

Researchers explore how video games can improve scientific understanding of the tree of life.

In Los Cabos, Mexico, a panga boat captain and a deep sea fishing enthusiast support researchers working to explain declines in Pacific fish populations.

A tiny pilot study found that so-called chameleon vines mimicked plastic leaves, but experts say poor study design and conflicts of interest undermine the report.

Tourist photos help identify endangered manta rays and highlight the efficacy of recovery efforts at Komodo National Park.

A volunteer nature guide teamed up with researchers to discover a unique reproductive role for one vine’s leaves.

The BioCollective, a company that transforms whole stool samples into microbial metadata, is developing the US’s first national microbiome reference material.

The creativity of citizen scientists could help researchers design proteins that may be able to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

An online video game helps researchers create strategies for creating RNA.

Marine biologists identify smalleye stingrays using the white spots on their backs.

The sturgeon restoration study’s outcome won’t be known for decades.

A recently expanded online database allows researchers and the public to share and view videos of sea lampreys.

Locals helped researchers find the extremely rare boa.

A nude birder and an Australian zoo owner are competing to set the new bar for the number of species spotted in a single year.

Oregonian Noah Strycker broke the world Big Year birding record when he saw his 4,342nd species of the calendar year in 2015.

Several recent studies point to serious—and mysterious—declines in butterfly numbers across the globe.

Citizen-scientist data obtained through the U.K.’s National Bat Monitoring Programme show that populations of 10 bat species have stabilized or are growing.