There are about twenty of them, volunteers who take ten measurements on Belgian beaches every season. They are part of the Flanders Marine Institute’s SeaWatch-B citizen science project. The sea observers and their assistants do nothing. They receive training, come out with proper equipment and follow a clear script. Within ten years, combined observation had provided a wealth of information about the sea. One systematic measurement – counting and identifying one hundred shells around a self-selected point near the waves – formed the basis of a large-scale initiative in which Eos He was involved from the beginning. The Big Shell Counting Day will be in its eighth edition in March 2025 and is still expanding – beyond national borders.
Citizen science – or a synonym Citizen science -Here to stay. The concept is as old as science itself. Many specialties were professionalized only in the 19th century. Big names like Darwin or Newton worked outside the institutes, and you can also consider them amateur scientists. The modern renaissance, with no end in sight, began in the 20th century thanks to the boom in the Internet and communications. Powerful, affordable smartphones and cheap sensors have paved the way for large-scale citizen projects like CurieuzeNeuzen or the bird census in Natuurpunt Park. Today, citizen science may not have been embraced by all academics, but much of the criticism has been refuted and silenced. Europe sees this as a full part of its policy Open scienceThis would make science accessible to everyone at various levels.
In the new issue, a thicker and more luxurious edition, we provide a sample of what citizen science represents and means in our region today. For solid science, but also for society. We didn’t have to look far for some reason. Made ten years ago Eos In collaboration with the Young Academy, a page on its website for citizen science, an initiative that quickly became part of a separate platform Everyone is a scientist It resulted. Five years ago, Flanders had its own knowledge center for citizen science with Civil. We’ve come a long way, and it’s worth showing. Be inspired by the stories and get involved!
