The SciStarter Blog

The SciStarter Blog, published by Science Connected

SciStarter is the place to find, join, and contribute to science through providing people access to more than 2,700 searchable formal and informal research projects and events. But more than just a project directory, SciStarter also offers a coordinated place to record contributions and access the tools and instruments needed to participate in citizen science projects.

The SciStarter Blog is published weekly by Science Connected.

Calling All Gamers: How a Day of Online Gaming Can Help Advance Health Research

Love video games? Put your gaming skills toward a great cause and join SciStarter, the Network of the National Library of Medicine All of Us Research Program, libraries around the ...
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brown dwarf star, an artist's concept

Citizen Scientists Have Found Dozens of Brown Dwarfs Near Earth

Volunteers scanning the night sky for elusive hints of Planet Nine are uncovering the secrets of a strange class of failed stars: brown dwarfs. SCISTARTER BLOG Sometimes the old methods ...
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Could Evolution be Changing your Neighborhood Squirrels?

Black squirrels — a relic of ancient, old-growth forests — are now more common in cities. To understand why, scientists want to track the color of squirrels in your backyard ...
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climate change

Most People Aren’t Climate Scientists. We Should Talk About Climate Change Anyway

Most Americans don’t talk about climate change. But many experts think that getting communities involved in climate science is the best path forward. SCISTARTER BLOG Do you find it hard ...
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human computers, history of women in astronomy

Uncovering the History of Harvard’s ‘Human Computers’

More than a century ago, women called “human computers” changed our understanding of the universe. Now volunteers are making discoveries in their old notebooks. SCISTARTER BLOG More than 100 years ...
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Make a Picnic for Ants…For Science!

Create a picnic for ants with the Ant Picnic citizen science project to help scientists understand the dietary preferences of this crucial speices. SCISTARTER BLOG In its 4.5 billion year ...
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citizen science games

Science Games Advance Genetic Research

By playing citizen science games like Phylo, Colony B and Borderlands Science, people can join scientific research projects by completing simple activities in their free time. SCISTARTER BLOG In today’s ...
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Making a Difference for Air Quality in Pakistan

Air pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people every year in Pakistan, yet no one was monitoring air quality. Now a group of citizen scientists is prompting change. SCISTARTER BLOG ...
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Citizen Science Connections

Science Connected is volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with offices in San Francisco, California. We are a global group of scientists and science communicators who foster widespread science literacy, education, and communication. We are dedicated to increasing public understanding of science and creating free and equal access to science education. We define education in its broadest sense and believe it is the key to making informed choices, being successful members of society, and acting as responsible stewards of the planet.

Our mission is to increase scientific literacy in underserved communities and the greater public by connecting people with the latest scientific research, translating science into accessible language, and debunking pseudoscience with real research findings. 

Citizen science is an effective partnership between scientists and nonscientists that, when done well, offers benefits to the participants and beyond. In addition to the SciStarter Blog, we have several free resources for you to learn more about citizen science and get involved in projects.