Spring is embarking on a grand, global-scale citizen science experiment to understand ecosystem dynamics in closed systems - like a terrarium or a space habitat. Help us fast-track the necessary research in closed ecology!

Challenge Objective

Given a standard terrarium, define a rigorous analysis and data collection protocol using a custom sensor suite you build yourself and any additional observations or measurements you can take without opening the terrarium. Then devise a way to store and visualize this data on the cloud so it can be shared with the rest of the world!

Who Should Participate

This challenge is designed for individuals who are passionate about the intersection of science, innovation, and space exploration, including:

Biologists & Environmental Scientists: Experts who understand ecological processes and can contribute valuable insights into the functioning of small, closed ecosystems.
Citizen Scientists & Makers: Individuals who love to experiment, build, and tinker with ecosystems, and who are eager to contribute to space research from their homes.
Data Analysts & Engineers: Those skilled in interpreting environmental data and developing the technology to gather and optimize insights from terrariums.

Submission

For this track, teams will submit a Technical Document containing:

A sensor suite diagram.
Pictures of any developed prototype.
Data collection protocol.
Link to a data visualization platform with your collected data.

Judging criteria

Design simplicity, citizen science protocol quality, and data management protocol.

At the end of December, teams will be provided with a questionnaire to help structure their thinking. The submission of this questionnaire will unlock access to experts for consultation.