第三篇公民科學(xué)家
理解大自然對(duì)氣候變化有怎樣的反應(yīng)需要監(jiān)視世界各個(gè)角落的關(guān)鍵生命周期事件——花開、葉子的出現(xiàn)、第一只青蛙叫出春天的到來。但是生態(tài)學(xué)家不可能去到世界的各個(gè)角落，所以他們向非科學(xué)家求助，這些非科學(xué)家有時(shí)也被稱作公民科學(xué)家。
氣象科學(xué)家不可能足跡遍及天下。因?yàn)樵谑澜缟嫌腥绱硕嗟牡胤?，沒有足夠的科學(xué)家來觀察它們。所以他們請(qǐng)求你來幫助觀察全世界氣候變化的跡象。公民科學(xué)家運(yùn)動(dòng)鼓勵(lì)普通人根據(jù)自己的興趣來觀察某一個(gè)特定的方面——鳥兒、樹木、花卉等等一一并把他們的觀察結(jié)果發(fā)送到一個(gè)巨大的數(shù)據(jù)庫來供專業(yè)科學(xué)家研究。這有助于數(shù)量有限的科學(xué)家得到如果只靠他們自己根本收集不到的巨大數(shù)據(jù)。就像公民記者幫助報(bào)道傳統(tǒng)新聞報(bào)道方式所忽略的小型社區(qū)的相關(guān)信息一樣，公民科學(xué)家也對(duì)他們所居住的環(huán)境很熟悉。所需要的就是每天或每周留出兒分鐘來搜集數(shù)據(jù)并發(fā)送過來。
一群科學(xué)家和教育家在去年發(fā)起了一個(gè)叫做紐約國(guó)家物候?qū)W的組織。“物候?qū)W”就是科學(xué)家們所說的在自然中研究每個(gè)事件的時(shí)間。
其中一個(gè)小組的首要嘗試就是依靠科學(xué)家和非科學(xué)家來收集關(guān)于每年植物開花和長(zhǎng)葉子的數(shù)據(jù)。這一項(xiàng)目叫做花季追蹤計(jì)劃，它收集遍布美國(guó)的各種各樣的植物生長(zhǎng)周期的數(shù)據(jù)。參與這一項(xiàng)目的人們一一這一計(jì)劃對(duì)所有人開放——把他們的觀察記錄登錄在花季追蹤計(jì)劃網(wǎng)站上。
“人們不需要是植物學(xué)家——他們僅僅需要環(huán)視四周看看周圍有什么。”Jennifer Schwarts說，她是這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃的教育顧問。“通過收集數(shù)據(jù)，我們就能夠估算出氣候變化對(duì)植物和生物群落會(huì)有怎樣的影響。
MOTORING TECHNOLGY
1.2 million road deaths worldwide occur each year,plus a further 50 million injuries.To reduce car crash rate,much research now is focused on safety and new fuels-though some electric vehicle and biofuel research aims at going faster.
Travelling at speed has always been dangerous.One advanced area of research in motoring safety is the use of digital in-car assistants.They can ensure you don’t miss important road signs or fall asleep.Most crashes result from human and not mechanical faults.
Some safety developments aim to improve your vision.Radar can spot obstacles in fog,while other technology“sees through”big vehicles blocking your view.
And improvements to seat belts,pedal(腳踏)controls and tyres are making driving smoother and safer.The colour of a car has been found to be linked with safety,as have,less surprisingly,size and shape.
But whatever is in the fuel tank,you don’t want a thief in the driving seat and there have been many innovations(創(chuàng)新).Satellite tracking and remote communications can also come into play if you crash,automatically calling for help.
Accidents cause many traffic jams,but there are more subtle interplays between vehicles that can cause jams even on a clear but busy road.Such jams can be analyzed using statistical tools.Robotic drivers could be programmed to make traffic flow smoothly and will perhaps one day be everyons’s personal chauffeur(司機(jī)),but their latest efforts suggest that won’t be soon.
理解大自然對(duì)氣候變化有怎樣的反應(yīng)需要監(jiān)視世界各個(gè)角落的關(guān)鍵生命周期事件——花開、葉子的出現(xiàn)、第一只青蛙叫出春天的到來。但是生態(tài)學(xué)家不可能去到世界的各個(gè)角落，所以他們向非科學(xué)家求助，這些非科學(xué)家有時(shí)也被稱作公民科學(xué)家。
氣象科學(xué)家不可能足跡遍及天下。因?yàn)樵谑澜缟嫌腥绱硕嗟牡胤?，沒有足夠的科學(xué)家來觀察它們。所以他們請(qǐng)求你來幫助觀察全世界氣候變化的跡象。公民科學(xué)家運(yùn)動(dòng)鼓勵(lì)普通人根據(jù)自己的興趣來觀察某一個(gè)特定的方面——鳥兒、樹木、花卉等等一一并把他們的觀察結(jié)果發(fā)送到一個(gè)巨大的數(shù)據(jù)庫來供專業(yè)科學(xué)家研究。這有助于數(shù)量有限的科學(xué)家得到如果只靠他們自己根本收集不到的巨大數(shù)據(jù)。就像公民記者幫助報(bào)道傳統(tǒng)新聞報(bào)道方式所忽略的小型社區(qū)的相關(guān)信息一樣，公民科學(xué)家也對(duì)他們所居住的環(huán)境很熟悉。所需要的就是每天或每周留出兒分鐘來搜集數(shù)據(jù)并發(fā)送過來。
一群科學(xué)家和教育家在去年發(fā)起了一個(gè)叫做紐約國(guó)家物候?qū)W的組織。“物候?qū)W”就是科學(xué)家們所說的在自然中研究每個(gè)事件的時(shí)間。
其中一個(gè)小組的首要嘗試就是依靠科學(xué)家和非科學(xué)家來收集關(guān)于每年植物開花和長(zhǎng)葉子的數(shù)據(jù)。這一項(xiàng)目叫做花季追蹤計(jì)劃，它收集遍布美國(guó)的各種各樣的植物生長(zhǎng)周期的數(shù)據(jù)。參與這一項(xiàng)目的人們一一這一計(jì)劃對(duì)所有人開放——把他們的觀察記錄登錄在花季追蹤計(jì)劃網(wǎng)站上。
“人們不需要是植物學(xué)家——他們僅僅需要環(huán)視四周看看周圍有什么。”Jennifer Schwarts說，她是這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃的教育顧問。“通過收集數(shù)據(jù)，我們就能夠估算出氣候變化對(duì)植物和生物群落會(huì)有怎樣的影響。
MOTORING TECHNOLGY
1.2 million road deaths worldwide occur each year,plus a further 50 million injuries.To reduce car crash rate,much research now is focused on safety and new fuels-though some electric vehicle and biofuel research aims at going faster.
Travelling at speed has always been dangerous.One advanced area of research in motoring safety is the use of digital in-car assistants.They can ensure you don’t miss important road signs or fall asleep.Most crashes result from human and not mechanical faults.
Some safety developments aim to improve your vision.Radar can spot obstacles in fog,while other technology“sees through”big vehicles blocking your view.
And improvements to seat belts,pedal(腳踏)controls and tyres are making driving smoother and safer.The colour of a car has been found to be linked with safety,as have,less surprisingly,size and shape.
But whatever is in the fuel tank,you don’t want a thief in the driving seat and there have been many innovations(創(chuàng)新).Satellite tracking and remote communications can also come into play if you crash,automatically calling for help.
Accidents cause many traffic jams,but there are more subtle interplays between vehicles that can cause jams even on a clear but busy road.Such jams can be analyzed using statistical tools.Robotic drivers could be programmed to make traffic flow smoothly and will perhaps one day be everyons’s personal chauffeur(司機(jī)),but their latest efforts suggest that won’t be soon.