Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Budding Naturalists Help the Pros

This is such a great tool for science classes! Species Explorer allows users to record observations of their local (or backyard!) environment and collects the information in an online database. This site reinforces the importance of all habitats, whether the Amazon or just the empty lot across the street.

The website points out the growing significance of "citizen science" in the scientific community.
The capability of the average person, the non-scientist, to contribute valuable information, even new discoveries, has become a growing trend across all the sciences...illustrated in such examples as amateur astronomers finding new planets orbiting distant stars, or amateur birdwatchers sighting a species of bird through to be extinct.
How empowering would this be for students?? To contribute their own observations as part of a global database? Wow!

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