“Citizen science” projects can boost student engagement by giving kids the opportunity to help solve real-world problems, in fields ranging from archaeology to zoology. One citizen science option that we recommend is GlobalXplorer, a new platform launched by archaeologist (and TED Prize winner) Sarah Parcak. Here’s how it works:

There are millions of lost temples, buried pyramids, and other archaeological sites around the world. Many of these sites contain ancient art, history, and artifacts — precious evidence of humankind’s collective resilience and creativity.

Your mission is to help protect these archaeological sites from looters. To succeed, you’ll need to study satellite images for signs of looting. In GlobalXplorer, these images are called “tiles.”

There are 120 million tiles in GlobalXplorer’s first expedition: Expedition Peru. So, archaeologists really need your help!

Can you examine 500 tiles?

To start your citizen science project with GlobalXplorer’s Expedition Peru, go here. 

To learn more about the history of exploration in Peru, start with this 1913 National Geographic article about Machu Picchu.

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Tags: Citizen Science, GlobalXplorer, Sarah Parcak, Science, TED Prize