PublicLaboratory is a fantastic citizen scientist organization with really useful projects like DIY spectrometers (for finding out what’s really in stuff) and aerial mapping for monitoring of oil spills, landfills, etc. They’ve done some fantastic work using the continuous shooting mode of consumer cameras, including converting them to near infrared. The problem is that there is […]
Science Hack Day is underway in San Francisco. The weekend hackathon focuses on citizen science projects.
Like a lot of professional-grade scientific equipment, purpose-made glove boxes are spendy, especially if you buy a new one. That’s why I think a lot of hobby, citizen, and just plain ol’ thrifty scientists will be excited about this DIY version from NYU ITP student Nelson Ramon.
Inside the Gigeresque enclosure by Steve D of Mad Art Lab resides functioning radiation sensing equipment capable of sensing minute amounts of radioactive material.
Cultural anthropologist Eben Kirksey brings citizen science to Brooklyn, using an Arduino and the history of two frogs to educate the public.
Aerogels are fascinating materials, with lots of interesting and, frankly, amazing properties, but they are not easy to make. These days, industrial manufacture with an eye towards commercial applications, primarily as thermal insulators, is bringing the price down some, at least for granules, but larger pieces still cost around $50 US per cubic inch. Ben Krasnow, impressively, has made his own…
We have featured projects from teenage chemist Hayden Parker, who is this semester an entering freshman at Willamette University, several times since he first showed up on our radar at Bay Area Maker Faire 2011. We recently asked Hayden to share some of the most useful practical tips he’s picked up from the home and hobby chemistry community, and this list is the result. Thanks, Hayden! Keep up the good work! – Ed.
