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Citizen Science: Harnessing The Power Of Interest

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Articles in peer reviewed scientific journals feature a lead author, and secondary authors who also participated in the research the article presents.  But an increasing number of scientific projects are involving a potentially huge list of supporting researchers.

So-called citizen science is a big deal in many disciplines, harnessing the power of millions of people with an interest – and with computing power.

It’s also featured in the latest issue of the magazine Discover. Gemma Tarlach, senior associate editor of the Waukesha based magazine, spoke with Lake Effect's Mich Teich.

"You need humans, you need a lot of them. These projects are very big, often include tremendous amounts of data. You have to have eyes to help you analyze it, and that's why citizen scientists are so important to science today," says Tarlach.

Audrey is a WUWM host and producer for Lake Effect.