Chandra Clarke

Award-winning entrepreneur. Author. Professional Optimist.

  • Home
  • About
  • Books & Shorts
  • Press & Awards
  • Citizen Science
  • Contact Me
You are here: Home / Level 6 - Other Ways To Do Citizen Science / Shake, rattle, and report

Shake, rattle, and report

March 16, 2012 By Chandra Clarke Leave a Comment

The Quake Catcher Network sensor
The Quake Catcher Network sensor (Photo credit: Teleyinex)

Earthquakes remain a major hazard, and our ability to predict them is still pretty limited. The Quake-Catcher Network (QCN) hopes to change all of that, and you can help.

The QCN wants to build the world’s largest, low-cost, strong-motion seismic network. It’s doing that by having people like you install sensors in and attached to your Internet-connected computer. The idea is that by having more sensors in more locations, we’ll get a much more detailed picture of how and when earthquakes happen.

All you have to do is order a sensor, install it (preferably mounted on your floor and connected by a USB cable to your desktop computer), and install the software. If you should experience an earthquake, the sensor will record the data, and send it to the QCN.

If you live in a high-risk area, like near the San Andreas fault, for example, you can probably get a sensor for free. K-12 classrooms can order one for a nominal fee of $5, and everyone else can get one for $49. This is one of the few projects featured on the Citizen Science Center blog that requires participants to pay to participate. However, given the economic impact a single earthquake can have (the recent Tohoku earthquake and tsunami was estimated to cost around $300 billion), to say nothing of the human toll, $49 doesn’t seem like a lot to spend.

Meanwhile, if you’re interested in learning more about earthquakes, the QCN provides some lessons and activities you can download. These are geared to K-12 students, but they would be a good starting point, and they are useful for homeschoolers too.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Related

Filed Under: Level 6 - Other Ways To Do Citizen Science Tagged With: distributed computing, earthquakes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Host:

On Sale Now:

Search

Recent Posts

  • A Book for Entrepreneurs
  • Beware the Unusual Home . . .
  • Mirror, Mirror… er… in the Sky?
  • 2020 Awards Eligibility Post
  • Dinosaurs: Birds of a Feather?

Like My Work?

Want to put something in the tip jar?

Buy me a book! Bonus: You’ll be supporting another author when you do! Just click on the graphic below and make the purchase – it will send it to my (hidden) address or Kindle as a gift.

My Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1WL17UVY8T3OQ?&sort=default

Tags

advertising Android Astronomy Australia babies Bee biology books California canada children Christmas Citizen Science citizen science games climate change computer-based crowdfunding distributed computing dogs do it anywhere England environment funding game Garden gardening History insects iPhone NASA Parenting Pets pollution science science communication space spring technology ted Television trees USA weather Wildlife Zooniverse

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

You might also like...

  • A Proofreading Course
  • An Editing Course
  • Citizen Science
  • Learn English Grammar
  • Online Writing Courses
  • Proofreading Service
  • Writing Advice

Site Sponsor

  • Privacy
  • Terms

Copyright © 2021 Chandra Clarke. All Rights Reserved.