Throughout history, meaningful contributions to science have been
made by members of the public. These citizen scientists have
historically contributed by collecting data that is hard for a single
scientist to collect such as weather information or the paths of
migrating birds. Recently, advances in computer technology have opened
new possibilities for citizen scientists to participate in science
projects by helping with data analysis. We are investigating what
motivates people to do this and what they learn when they do so. To do
so, we are working with Galaxy Zoo and the Zooniverse family
of citizen science projects.
thinkahol * on 13 Jun 11ScienceDaily (June 9, 2011) - Scientists have just reported that the tiny light-sensing cells known as rods have been clearly and directly imaged in the living eye for the first time. Using adaptive optics (AO), the same technology astronomers use to study distant stars and galaxies, scientists can see through the murky distortion of the outer eye, revealing the eye's cellular structure with unprecedented detail. This innovation, described in two papers in the Optical Society's (OSA) open access journal Biomedical Optics Express, will help doctors diagnose degenerative eye disorders sooner, leading to quicker intervention and more effective treatments.
