[thedoc]

Everyone can contribute to the work of scientists. Harriet Dickinson explains how you can get involved, and why Science Needs YOU!

Read the article then tell us what you think...

[Airthumbs]

These projects are not new, apparently the longest running citizen science project was started in the 1900's by the National Audubon Society for a study on birds.

This wiki link gives you some of the more recent projects people can get involved with.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_science

Another one of my favorites is of course the Zooniverse projects which can be great fun.

As to what impact these projects have had on science is difficult to say and it would be very interesting to find out more.

[CliffordK]

You can always volunteer to be a human guinea pig.

There may be some psych experiments you can volunteer for, although they are often heavily biased towards college students. 

Some medications are tested with "Normal" volunteer subjects.

[Earthwatch]

Readers looking for hands-on citizen science experiences should consider volunteering with Earthwatch, which supports scientists conducting environmental and cultural conservation studies in projects worldwide. More information can be found at www.earthwatch.organd at www.facebook.com/earthwatch

[imatfaal]

How Crowdsourcing is changing science.

http://bostonglobe.com/ideas/2011/11/11/how-crowdsourcing-changing-science/dWL4DGWMq2YonHKC8uOXZN/story.html

But a few months ago, the papyrologists tried something bold. They put up a website, called Ancient Lives, with a game that allowed members of the public to help transcribe the ancient Greek at home by identifying images from the papyrus. Help began pouring in. In the short time the site has been running, people have contributed 4 million transcriptions. They have helped identify Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plutarch’s “On the Cleverness of Animals,” and more.