Our master chefs in the SciStarter kitchen have been working overtime to bring you this delectable Thanksgiving menu, featuring citizen science projects guaranteed to satisfy even the most insatiable curiosity.
Hors d'oeuvres: Nature's Notebook
At Nature’s Notebook, nature is always in season; currently, the program features the spicy flavors of autumn! Deepen your connection with nature by making observations as fall turns to winter. It’s a giant smorgasbord of activities that feeds the soul, but still keeps you hungry for more.
Bread: Sourdough for Science
Leaven your Thanksgiving dinner with Sourdough for Science, a hearty offering of yeasty science exploration: just add flour and water and discover how microbes affect the flavor and texture of bread.
Salad: Leaf Pack Network
Refreshing and flavorful, the Leaf Pack Network is an organic, all-natural offering which consists of free-range leaves that you collect yourself, place into distinctive mesh bags, stake into a stream, and then retrieve weeks later. You’ll harvest a delightful assortment of macroinvertebrates to sort and identify! (fees may apply)
Main Course: American Gut
Your gut bacteria work diligently and (mostly) quietly, helping to regulate your appetite, metabolism, and even your mood. Shine a spotlight on these hardworking bugs with the American Gut project! Swab your sample (don’t ask…), put it in project-provided test tube and send it in! You’ll contribute to important research, and get a report identifying your gut bugs, so you can thank each microbe by name ($200 fee for sample kit).
Side Dish: Mushroom Observer
Bursting with B vitamins and potassium, mushrooms are a great complement to any Thanksgiving feast! Yet 95% of all species of fungi remain unstudied. This Thanksgiving, consider adding the Mushroom Observer project to your bill of fare, and start contributing to this thriving network of mushroom hunters.
Dessert: Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count
No matter how much you’ve indulged, there’s always room for butterflies! This year’s California- based Thanksgiving Western Monarch Count runs from November 16 through December 8th. Not in California? No problem! Search the SciStarter Project Finder to find a butterfly project near you!
December is packed with citizen science events and programs!
Watch the SciStarter Podcast
Watch our Thanksgiving-themed November podcast, featuring Sourdough for Science, tree-rific projects and the truth about turkey and tryptophan!
SciStarter LIVE!
Join Emma Giles and the SciStarter team Tuesdays from 2-3 PM ET, to meet inspiring project leaders, gain valuable tips for participating in citizen science projects, and discover the incredible impact your contributions can make. Join the action via Zoom or catch the live stream on SciStarter’s Facebook page.
In case you missed it:
Jumpstart Planning for Citizen Science Month 2025: If you are planning to help others participate in Citizen Science Month, watch our recorded webinar on how to get started. Watch on YouTube.
November 12th – Wild Hope, Wildlife Corridors, and Citizen Science Learn how citizen scientists and experts are working together to identify and protect vital wildlife corridors, and how you can get involved in conservation efforts. Watch on YouTube.
November 19th – Leave No Trace Announces the #LeaveNoTrash 2025 Challenge Join us to learn how your university or community can get involved! Watch on YouTube.
Join us for the Final LIVE event of the Year!
December 17th – Join the SciStarter Team for a festive Holiday Game! Test your citizen science knowledge and get into the holiday spirit before winter begins. Everyone is welcome: Invite your classroom, coworkers, and/or family to join in on the fun. Register.
New projects featured on SciStarter:
Upcoming opportunities:
Sign up for the Christmas Bird Count and help Audubon count birds from December 14th through January 5th. Active since 1900, the project operates in 20 countries in the Western Hemisphere. Learn More!
Veterans and Service Members! Don’t miss the two-part Do NASA Science LIVE event January 29th and April 10th for service members, veterans and their families. Meet NASA scientists and learn about citizen science projects tailored just for you! Learn more and register!
For Practitioners:
Planning activities or events for Citizen Science Month? Consider inviting a SciStarter Ambassador to help! Check out the SciStarter Ambassador Directory to see if there’s an Ambassador near you. New cohorts are being added, so check back frequently.
The CAPS 2025 conference needs your submission! Share your insights, research, experience or new ideas about practices for participatory sciences. Visit the Call for Individual Presentations.
The journal Citizen Science: Theory and Practice is looking for abstracts for a Special Collection on citizen science in Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM). Learn more at their Call for Abstracts!
