This week, Your Research Missions are all about looking skyward. Count stars, spot eagles, or record conditions in the atmosphere. Here at SciStarter, things are also looking up, as the global community of curious citizen scientists is expanding rapidly with no end in sight.

We're thrilled to announce a partnership with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) that will make it easier for teachers and students to jump in and make a difference. SciStarter is connecting citizen science with the do-it-yourself community via the Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (PLOTS). Making scientific tools accessible and affordable to people everywhere, PLOTS is equipping people with the tools needed to address a variety of research questions. And, Scistarter is featured in the November issue of Discover Magazine, on newsstands now.

As October begins, we’re proud to share a brand new citizen science project: Bat Detective. Scientist need your help classifying sounds so they can better understand one of Halloween’s most famous animals. Stay tuned for more Halloween projects in the next newsletter.

Reminder: Calling all researchers and science team leaders! Are you looking for volunteers to help with research? If you’d like your project featured, submit it to our Project Finder for consideration. Would you like to contribute to the SciStarter blog? Or have your project featured in the SciStarter Newsletter? Email us at info@scistarter.com.

Keep experimenting!