Lesson 6 Better Together
Citizen Science: Be Part of the Solution
A common misconception in science is that ____ highly trained experts can participate in research and data analysis.
However, with the right opportunity, anyone can become ____ scientist, and yes, that means even you!
Dealing with a vast amount of data can take scientists decades, but with the eyes, ears, and perspectives of citizen scientists, ____ job can be completed in a few years or even just a few months.
Citizen scientists collect, classify, or analyze data so that scientists can use it for ____
By making observations of their surrounding environments or even ____ playing a simple mobile game, they can help the professional scientific community expand knowledge and speed up new discoveries and innovations.
Project ____
Most ____ bloom in spring, and many leaves change color in autumn.
____ to global warming, however, the timing of seasonal cycles is changing.
Scientists have been trying to find out exactly how and where these cycles are changing, as well as how ____ the changes are occurring.
The problem is that it is impossible for them to keep track of every single plant ____ the country.
This is where citizen science comes ____
Project Budburst is a program that engages citizens ____ the nation to observe and record details about nearby plants.
How ____ Works
____ Budburst can be easily accessed anywhere you have an internet connection.
To get involved, you first need to go through a simple tutorial that ____ you understand what to look for when you observe a plant.
Next, you choose a particular plant to observe, such as a tree in your backyard or a bush in ____ neighborhood park.
As you conduct your observations, you will fill out ____ form to record the plant’s location and track its changes throughout the seasons.
You will record when ____ grows leaves, flowers, and fruit, and when its leaves change color and fall off in the autumn.
You can submit these observation notes on the website or ____ app.
Benefits ____ Outcomes
____ Budburst is beneficial to scientists, educators, and participating individuals.
____ the information you provide, scientists and researchers can better understand how plant species respond to climate change at local, national, and international levels.
They can compare the data you record with what they already have in order to forecast future changes ____ climates and ecosystems.
The information on the project’s website can be used as educational material ____ educators as well.
By collecting and utilizing real-world data, participants can both improve their science literacy and help tackle significant ____ questions.
Moreover, the project is a fun and rewarding outdoor activity for ____ of all ages.
Review
One of my favorite ____ of this project is that I don’t need to be an expert to take part.
I’ve always been fascinated by the diverse range of ____ in the local garden.
Thanks to this project, now ____ know them all by name.
Feature Hunter
NASA has more than three million photos of Earth taken from ____
These photos can be invaluable to researchers in fields such as geology, ____ science, and urban planning.
However, many of the photos are difficult to use because they lack labels for common features like islands, ____ volcanoes, and cities.
With such a vast amount of photographic data, it can be challenging for scientists to search for specific features and analyze them ____ detail.
In response ____ this challenge, a group of students came up with the Feature Hunter project for NASA.
Participants of this project examine images and label previously ____ photos for a more comprehensive and searchable database.
How It ____
As a Feature Hunter participant, you will be ____ with a collection of images and asked to identify specific features.
You begin by selecting the kind of feature you want to search for, such as islands, volcanoes, ____ cities.
You ____ examine the displayed image and determine whether the feature you are looking for is visible.
If you can see the feature in the image, select ____ Yes option.
This will bring you to ____ page where you will be asked to identify the feature’s location by moving and resizing the boxes around it.
If you cannot see the feature, or if it ____ not clear, click the No or Not Sure option.
Both of these options ____ contribute to the creation of the best data possible.
____ and Outcomes
The data gathered from Feature Hunter plays a crucial role in training and improving machine learning models, which will automatically label raw ____ with geographical features.
Machine learning requires large sets of training data to produce accurate results, and Feature ____ users can help develop this training data by simply viewing images and identifying features.
The more ____ the citizen scientists label, the higher the accuracy of the machine learning models can be.
Ultimately, this project will enhance ____ searchability and usefulness of the images for both the scientific community and the general public.
Review
I didn’t realize it was this easy to participate ____ such a big science project.
I made a difference in the world and had fun ____ it!
It’s amazing that people from different countries can work ____ when they don’t speak the same language.