Science is, at its core, a process—a framework for testing questions about the world withrndetailed and structured observations of it to gain knowledge and understanding. Contrary tornwhat some may believe, the scientific process has always been a universal one, accessible tornthe common people, even if the largest and most newsworthy discoveries are usually left tornthose with greater time and resources. However, with modern technologies like AI, that realityrnis primed for radical change; citizen science is becoming the new driving force of innovation andrnpositive impact.rnThe advent of modern artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies has beenrnnear-universally disruptive in the business sector, but one of AI’s potentially most impactfulrnuse-cases is one that may be surprising: environmental science and conservation. Thesernpowerful algorithms and models are allowing passionate and interested civilians to gather andrnanalyze data like never before. In these times of climate change, with growing public interest inrnenvironmental stewardship and conservation, the intersection of citizen science and powerfulrnmobile technology represents a powerful opportunity for global change, but like all science,rneverything starts with data.rnLarge-Scale Biodiversity MappingrnCitizens scientists are leveraging AI technology and other mobile tech tools to gather real-time,rnuser-generated ecological data on a massive scale. The AI models assist in identifying plant andrnanimal species presented by the user, and that data is then collected into open data sets thatrncan be tracked, analyzed, and updated consistently with new information from the field. Thisrnlevel of biodiversity tracking has never been achievable before at-scale—at least not outside ofrnthe walls of universities, research institutions, and government agencies. Everyday people canrnnow contribute to important conservation work by simply taking pictures of the plants, animals,rnand fungi in the ecosystems around them. This intersection of citizen passion and technologicalrnpower may be the key to critical conservation efforts worldwide.rnThere is an incredible amount of scientific potential available in the current moment, and thernonly thing needed to start reaping the benefits is to make the needed technology fullyrnaccessible to everyday people. This is the realization that encouraged environmental techrnfounder Eric Ralls to develop and launch EarthSnap, a versatile AI-powered app that allowsrnindividuals to identify the living things around them at a touch of a button. The app works byrncross-referencing the traits of the subject in the photo with a large and growing encyclopedia ofrnover two million of Earth’s species, done using the power of AI. Combined with its socialrncommunity functions, it's a compelling contribution to what Nandina Galle refers to as “thernInternet of Nature,” directly connecting people to the natural world with ease.
“The idea is simple: identify what you’re seeing, learn about it, and contribute to a growingrnknowledge base at the same time,” Ralls explains. “The community doesn’t just use thernproduct—it helps make it smarter and more valuable over time. When millions of peoplernphotograph plants, animals, fungi, and ecosystems—and those observations are responsiblyrnaggregated—you suddenly get a real-time, ground-level view of life on Earth.”rnThe potential is staggering; tracking real-time migration shifts, the spread of invasive species,rneven changes in flowering seasons are all possible with such a flow of incoming globalrnobservations. Ralls believes that with the right ethical and responsible implementation, systemsrnlike EarthSnap and other citizen science platforms have the potential to support conservation,rneducation, and scientific research in ways that were impossible a mere decade ago. However,rnthe work comes with real challenges, and doing it responsibly is foremost among them.
“I believe deeply in the value of citizen science, but openness comes with real responsibility,”rnsays Ralls. “You have to protect user privacy, avoid exposing sensitive locations—especially forrnendangered species—and ensure that data is used in ways that build trust rather than erode it.”rnA World Of Citizen SciencernNew technologies, used responsibly, have the potential to not only reward infinite humanrncuriosity, but turn that inquisitive impulse into an engine for global scientific gain. With appsrnand platforms like EarthSnap, powered by machine learning and AI, nature discovery couldrnbecome an ambient expected part of life, blending seamlessly into daily routines andrnencouraging new learning. The era of the search bar will fade away as people can point theirrncameras at the world to receive real time insights and knowledge, get answers to questionsrnabout the world they live in, and contribute to a growing body of data used to keep that world’srnecosystems healthy and vibrant. Eric Ralls is confident that this paradigm shift will only growrnmore powerful over time.
“Citizen science will also become more structured and impactful,” the Earth.com founderrnpredicts. “We’ll see stronger data standards, better verification methods, and deeperrncollaboration between platforms, researchers, NGOs, and governments. If we do this right, arnsingle photo taken on a hike could meaningfully contribute to conservation and environmentalrnunderstanding.”rnThe technology is, after all, only in the early stages of its development. While modern mediarncycles encourage and reward sensationalism, there is still much work to be done before thernnew world of citizen science can come to pass. One of the largest challenges remains accuracyrnat scale; with tens of millions of species to identify, document, catalogue, and process, all donernwith photos that can be incredibly varied in quality, ensuring accuracy while maintaining a fastrnand intuitive user experience can be challenging. Paired with the technical realities of managingrnand maintaining an app and platform through necessary change, shifting user expectations, andrnnew development, EarthSnap and its contemporaries have an uphill battle ahead of them.rnHowever, it’s a challenge that promises to not only expand people’s love for and understandingrnof their environment, but may even encourage them to unplug a little and enjoy it.
“I often come back to this quote from John Muir: ‘But in every walk with Nature one receivesrnfar more than he seeks.’” says Eric Ralls. “It captures something essential: nature always givesrnmore than we expect, if we’re paying attention. That idea sits at the heart of everything I try tornbuild—using technology to help people notice, learn, and reconnect with the living worldrnaround them.”