Get ready for an exciting journey into the world of citizen science and NASA’s latest endeavors! The future of space exploration is here, and it’s calling on all of us to participate! NASA has just announced its 2025 funding decisions for citizen science proposals, and the selected projects are nothing short of extraordinary. These initiatives not only involve the public in cutting-edge research but also offer a glimpse into the innovative ways citizen scientists are shaping our understanding of the universe.
But here’s where it gets controversial… some of these projects are not just about gathering data; they’re about interpreting and building upon existing citizen science efforts. So, are we ready to dive into the complex world of scientific investigation and discovery?
Let’s explore these fascinating proposals and the potential impact they could have on our understanding of the cosmos.
Citizen Science Seed Funding Program (CSSFP): Unlocking New Frontiers
The CSSFP is an ambitious program designed to encourage scientists and experts to embrace citizen science techniques. With participation from four key divisions of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, the program has selected seven new investigations, each with its own unique focus.
Astrophysics Division: Unveiling Cosmic Mysteries
- Cosmic Cataclysms and Citizen Science: Led by Thomas Esposito from the SETI Institute, this project invites backyard astronomers to observe high-energy phenomena like gamma-ray bursts and supernovae.
- Spiral Graph: Cluster Buster: Patrick Treuthardt at the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences needs your help to measure spiral arms of galaxies, which could reveal the masses of their central black holes.
Planetary Science Division: Exploring Our Solar System and Beyond
- Rubin Comet Catchers: Join Colin Chandler from the University of Washington in the thrilling hunt for comets using images from the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).
- Search for Thunderstorms in Cassini Images: Ulyana Dyudina at the Space Science Institute wants your help to refine estimates of the cooling effect of thunderstorms on Jupiter and Saturn.
- There are Billions!: Petr Pokorny from the Catholic University of America invites you to spot craters in images from NASA’s MESSENGER, LRO, and Dawn missions, offering a unique perspective on impact craters across the solar system.
- SPHERExplorer: Steven Silverberg of Eureka Scientific, Inc. challenges you to identify new sources and changes in previously known sources in images from NASA’s SPHEREx mission, including new solar system objects and interstellar objects.
Heliophysics Division: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Magnetosheath
- DEMO-ML: Vicki Toy-Edens at Johns Hopkins University is leading an effort to catalog magnetosheath regions using data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS). This project aims to explore magnetic reconnection, turbulence, and energy transfer in the magnetosphere.
These projects demonstrate the diverse and impactful ways citizen science is being utilized in space exploration. But here’s the part most people miss: citizen science is not just about data collection; it’s about empowering individuals to contribute to scientific discovery and shaping our understanding of the universe.
So, what do you think? Are these projects a step forward in engaging the public in scientific research, or do they raise concerns about the role of citizen scientists in interpreting complex data? Share your thoughts in the comments and let’s spark a discussion on the future of citizen science!