午夜福利1000集合

IF YOU have access to the sea or a coastline you can help researchers monitor the world鈥檚 oceans during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

More than 1000 people have already joined the platform, which aims to help researchers gather data on oceans and ocean ecosystems in real-time. You can take part by downloading the eOceans app on your smartphone and logging what you see when you are on the coast or in the ocean, including any animals, people, pollution or even an empty beach.

The app lets you note your observations as well as upload photos. This information is then linked to your geographical location and is made accessible to scientists studying that region.

Covid-19 restrictions on travel in many countries have made it more difficult for researchers to access and study coastlines, says Christine Ward-Paige, founder and lead scientist at eOceans.

鈥淲hen covid-19 hit and the world went into varying levels of lockdown, we could understand what was happening in the atmosphere or what was happening on land and [with] the economy,鈥� says Ward-Paige. 鈥淏ut we had no idea what was happening in the ocean.鈥�

Using eOceans data, researchers such as Ward-Paige can remotely monitor how oceans and coastal communities worldwide are faring, including in the context of the pandemic. She and others hope to obtain more data on wildlife spotted along coastlines, as well as information on how people are using these spaces.

Observations recorded through eOceans are already providing valuable insights. During Australia鈥檚 lockdown, for example, the largest swarm of turtles in the country鈥檚 history was spotted by researchers using eOceans data. And in Hawaii, data from the app suggests that a reduction in tourists during the pandemic is associated with clearer waters.

Negative impacts of the pandemic on the ocean have also been picked up through the app, including an increase in pollution from personal protective equipment, as well as pandemic-related interruptions to marine recovery following a 2019 oil spill in Brazilian waters. In future, data from eOceans could help enable early detection of hazards, such as oil spills, so that they can be dealt with sooner, says Ward-Paige.

After joining the platform, volunteers can join local teams led by researchers working nearby. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l be able to see the results appear in real-time, so that you know what you鈥檙e contributing to and you can be part of the [data analysis],鈥� says Ward-Paige. She hopes this real-time monitoring will help accelerate discoveries, enabling researchers to keep pace with rapid ocean change.

Visit eoceans.co to learn more about how you can join the effort.

For other projects visit聽newscientist.com/maker.