SciStarter Newsletter
Newsletter #5: March 2, 2012

DISCOVER magazine is teaming up with SciStarter.com to present Your Research Mission, a dynamic project showcase. Each week, it will feature curated citizen science tasks, ranging from analyzing distant galaxies to monitoring frog, firefly and whale populations, to detecting home and body microbiomes.

“This partnership moves DISCOVER into the fast-growing realm of citizen science,” says Corey S. Powell, Editor in Chief of DISCOVER magazine. “Our readers tell us they’re eager to help study and explore the world, but it can be difficult for them to know where to begin. Now we’ll be offering projects vetted, sorted and aggregated by SciStarter to our two million monthly online visitors.”

Select SciStarter projects will be featured on DiscoverMagazine.com each day beginning in March. Researchers and team leaders who want their project featured can submit it to the SciStarter.com Project Finder for consideration by the SciStarter editors.

- The SciStarter Team
Home Microbiome Project

Home Microbiome Project

√   at home

Home Microbiome Project

Humans shed about 1.5 million microscopic skin cells, and ten times as many bacterial cells, every hour. These cells are transferred to numerous surfaces in a home via touch. What type of biological impression are we leaving on our home environments? If you are moving to a new home soon, then we need your help to find out!



Open Signals Map

Open Signal Maps

LocationAnywhere

Create global map of cell phone and Wi-Fi access points

With your help, OpenSignalMaps is creating a comprehensive database of cell phone towers, cell phone signal strength readings, and Wi-Fi access points around the world. Use the project website to browse the data they've collected, including heat maps that show exactly how strong signal is in any particular area.



Citizen Science: The Song

Citizen Science: The Song

√   Sound

An ode to you: a citizen science theme song

Citizen scientists around the world finally have their own anthem! Monty Harper, an Oklahama-based educator and entertainer, has released his latest song, “Citizen Scientist,” featuring SciStarter! We’ve adopted this as our theme song. We hope it brightens your day!