Historical & Cultural Context

Citizen Science in History

The term citizen science was coined in the mid 1990s,¹ but the concept of citizen science has arguably been around for centuries.

When we examine the history of science, this is unsurprising. Many scientists were not formally trained as scientists. For instance, as a nurse during a time when nursing was considered a menial profession, Florence Nightingale pioneered modern nursing education and statistical methods.² Soon after being trained as a doctor, James Hutton turned to farming, applying his knowledge of chemistry to his study of agriculture and geology.³ He proposed what is now known as the theory of uniformitarianism in geology—the assumption that geological activity occurred in the past at the same rate as it does now, and thus the landscape of the Earth evolved gradually over time.

The concept dates even farther back, though, before there even existed the concept of modern science as we understand it today. With records dating back to the 8th century, the Kyoto Cherry Blossom Festival incorporates citizen-gathered records on cherry blossom flowering.⁴ Today, these records are invaluable for studying the history of Earth’s climate. (In fact, many citizen science projects today involve uncovering historical and archaeological records.)

The Evolution and Diversity of Citizen Science

The practice of citizen science originated from observations in nature. Thus, it makes sense that citizen science is still often only associated to what people refer to as the “natural sciences.”

However, the “science” in citizen science can be deceptive. In English, the term science referred to any kind of knowledge as late as the 18th century, but it now refers to knowledge of the empirical world.^{5 6 7}

While citizen science is most prevalent in the “natural sciences” (specifically earth and space sciences and biology), it has applications in a wide range of disciplines. Zooniverse, for instance, hosts projects in a variety of disciplines, ranging from astrophysics to literature and art history. The social sciences are often less “visible” in citizen science; when they are present, they are often linked to something also associated with a natural science (e.g. environmental science, which often has social implications).⁶

Now, citizen science has gone beyond making observations in nature, having expanded in prevalence and in scope with the onset of smartphones and the digital age. On platforms like Zooniverse, citizens can examine historical artifacts and classify data collected by professional researchers. In NASA’s Exoplanet Watch, participants go a step further: they run code to analyze exoplanet data collected by researchers using small telescopes, submit their analysis to the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) database, and sometimes publish their own papers with the support and guidance of professional astronomers.⁸

Today, national and continental organizations promote citizen science across the globe. Thse include organizations based in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe and North America.⁹

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