Orchid enthusiasts are helping the UK's Natural History Museum to gather information about orchids and their locations in a mammoth task investigating climate change. The website Orchid Observers allows orchid-spotters to upload their photographs and details of the locations where the orchids have been found. Members of the public can also upload pictures of orchids for identification, if they are not sure of the species. The project is in its early stages as yet, but is already producing intriguing results, as reported in the BBC's online Science and Environment section.
The Orchid Observers project is a joint initiative between the Natural History Museum and Zooniverse, which is a worldwide volunteer researchers' platform, initiated by Oxford University.
These projects are among the best examples of using the power and reach of the internet for the good of mankind.
