Crowd research project gathers data from old logbooks

For non-scientists who want to participate in citizen science there are a number of web-based initiatives that allow you to make a contribution. One of these efforts that may be particularly interesting to ocean voyagers is called Old Weather. This research project involves people going through Arctic and worldwide weather observations made by U.S. ships since the mid-19th century and transcribing ships’ logs into digital form. The transcriptions are then used as data in climate prediction projections that allow climate scientists to improve the knowledge of past environmental conditions. In addition, historians can use the transcribed logs to track past ship movements and to tell the stories of the people on board. You can get involved by going to www.oldweather.org.  

By Ocean Navigator