Obregon 1
Geology 1301: Fossil Atmosphere
1
Signature Assignment
2.
3.
4
5
6
7
8
9
Regular
Cell
Stoma Not Sure/ Unclear Patch
Minimum #
16
8
0
Maximum #
66
10
4
Range (Max-Min)
66
10
Average
8.6
1.5
48.1
4
10
Regular Cell Stoma Not Sure/ Unclear Patch
Classification #1
46
8
0
Classification #2
16
10
UP, 2
Classification #3
66
9
0
Obregon 2
Classification #4
41
10
0
Classification #5
16
8
NS, 4
Classification #6
64
7
0
Classification #7
46
8
0
Classification #8
65
8
0
Classification #9
62
10
0
Classification #10
59
8
0
TOTALS:
86
6
481
Classifications 1
Regular Cell 46; Stoma 8
Obregon 3
Classifications 2
Regular Cell 16, Stoma 10
Classifications 3
Regular Cell 66, Stoma 9
Classifications 4
Regular Cell 41, Stoma 10
Classifications 5
Regular Cell 16, Stoma 8
Classifications 6
Regular Cell 64, Stoma 7
Classifications 7
Regular Cell 46, Stoma 8
Classifications 8
Regular Cell 65, Stoma 8
Classifications 9
Regular Cell 62, Stoma 10
Classifications 10
Regular Cell 59, Stoma 8
Hi, there is you saw my pictures and list and columns do not freak out, I am here to
introduce to the meaning behind the numbers and strange pictures. In my geology course I was
encouraged to participate in actual research it was all based on the Zooniverse website. This
website allows anyone I mean anyone to participate. The word is exact for this is citizen science
in which anyone who owns a computer or cared to share their time can interact with the research.
My professor has selected a topic for my team in which is Fossil Atmosphere. The research is
called Fossil Atmospheres in which is based on studying these plants and how the atmosphere
interacts with them. Climate has always drastically changed with time and a great way to capture
the difference is by comparing plants from different time periods to the ones we have now. As
we compare, we have magnified these plants and found the regular cells and stomas. Stomata
(Stoma for short) are cells that guard in other words pores, they change size depending on the
environment. They look funny they either look like a face or women labia. Although they look
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funny, they play a big part to the plant they are part of the photosynthesis. They are used for
water and gas to pass through. Moreover, the regular cell come into place; the regular cells look
like honeycombs or waffles. They are hard to see at times because sometimes they are flat. The
regular cell is the plants cell that takes a part, with photosynthesis. The based on the research is
to highlight and classify each item. There are also areas in which you can highlight if you cannot
define or find the Stoma and Regular Cell. Zooniverse is trying to get as many answers as
possible to help their research.
My first image is a great example of classifying everything. It said finished because I
already completed. However, I still did it because I finally understood it. They are eight stomas
highlighted they are the ones in yellow. Remember the funny faces or the labia. As you can see,
they are well rounded or slightly opened. My eight weeks from this class I have only seen one
stoma wide open. If it’s completely wide open, they must be in a great environment and
atmospheres. The targets in blue are the ones that are called regular cells they are the ones that
appear like honeycombs or waffles. Although, they are easily explained they are not easy to
identify. The second picture represents that they can be flat, and it can throw you off. The hardest
things to classify are the regular cells, even my classmates have a hard time identifying them so
do not be so hard on yourself. As I said previously, they also take a huge part like the stomata. I
am going from memory from here, but regular cells are just plant cells.
The research is based on Natural Museum of Natural History of Smithsonian Institution
is a project that also participates in citizen science. In this study they want to see the dynamic of
the atmosphere the great changes within the air. They use two plants stomatal and epidermal as
they also examine the changes in other living things with time. It is extremely obvious that our
environment and climate have change with time. We rarely put time or thought into the animal or
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the plants around us. As these researchers see it with these plants it is quite incredible sort of
view a fossil without the rocks. The plants need photosynthesis that is how they also transfer or
exchange air. The researchers put focus Ginkgo’s a plant that has seed but will not produce
flowers. The most interesting part is that Ginkgo is a species of plant that varies but has survive
through time. These plants have survived more than anyone, they also have gathered a bunch of
ginkgo leaves. They have collected data and pictures of fossil Ginkgo leaves and modern ones
too. As they set analysis, they have planted trees based on ginkgo and we are left to classify
them.
As I participated in this research, I have noticed a pattern. Let me get started in the
physical as I go through the numbers it will come down smoothly. First of Stoma are very
present is extremely rare where there are none in classifying them. They are always in even
numbers they come in tens or eights within the box. As I did my ten classifications, they were
only two with odd numbers (picture three and six). Stomas are generally big but can also appear
small, you might get confused on cut regular cells within the tutorials they even present a picture
so you would not get confused. Moreover, my least favorite at times regular cells, they are rarely
flat I also receive two with flatter regular cells. One was slightly and that is picture five there
some curves in there thankfully easy to classify. However, picture two a great nightmare it is
completely flat there are some hidden regular closer to the stoma. I no longer complain like the
images in number 7, they are now greatly appreciated. For the numbers classifications we saw
they are a great number on regular cell as always there always going to be many because they are
the ones that completes the plant. Including with the average it reflects highlight within the
charts. By adding the stoma, it was a total of 86, my theory that it could of possibly be by the
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90’s but I was not too far. The reason why I say 90s normally I will receive ten stomas within the
box the lowest I counted was six however I just kept getting eights on my classifications.
I think the pattern is due to different atmospheres, I could be wrong. My theory is
that the bigger the stomata and stronger the structure for the regular cells. Furthermore, I still
think that even if they are not a strong structure on the regular cells the stoma is big slightly
opened still emphasizes that it is still in a great atmosphere. On my ten classifications I did not
receive the bigger stomata or the enriched regular cells. My images for nine and ten are still a
great representation on the better atmospheres. The stomas are smaller and for the looks of it
closed. I am not so concern that they are closed because it is controlled through lighting. “It has
been well known that light can trigger the opening of stomata even with very low irradiance,
suggesting that the excited photoreceptors may mediate this response.” (Signaling Pathways in
Plants, Stomata. Charles M. Friel). As I said previously before stomas are they allowed or intake
the gases. I believe that the air is not as crispers as it used to be that is why they are smaller
especially closed. With the regular cells is different because I think that it adapted with time the
plant itself it built a stronger leaf. The images for nine and ten you see a dept as it curves
multiple times. Even the other images show structure even if they are not deep, they still form
good regular cells. As time stomata began to shrink, but the regular cells adapted with the
environment the best.
My top ten
My first one, the open stomata it was not slightly open it was open and wide. I was
always so curious to see the inside of them, but it was just plainly black. Although I was
expecting a new world inside them. I still thought that it was cool because it was open wide it so
rare to see that. I also wanted to say I have only seen one open stoma and I have done 107
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classifications. The second one it has when they had big stomas, I know for sure that it will affect
my average. The bigger stoma the less they appear so they will only be four stomata. Third will
be the creaks at first there were annoying because lord they made my life a living hell. However,
I came around to it I think it got me where I am now with the stomata I know more about, and I
can now finally call them out. Biology is not my thing at all but diving more on the Zooniverse
has taught me to be patient and take it easy. My fourth it must be the stronger regular cell; I
appreciate those immensely because they make my life easier and are fun to classify. The fifth
one
I never have received unclear picture, but I have placed an unclear thing or not sure some
stuff. We have two things to classify (stoma and regular cell) they also provide with two more.
Not sure and unclear patch, not sure is for stoma that you are not sure of. Unclear patch is for
regular cells that are not there at all. I will always mark it not sure since I have no clue what I am
truly looking at well in the beginning. I still mark them; on the second picture I mark unclear
match. Within the image regular cell are very hard to identified since it was flat. On the fifth
picture I mark some of the stoma as unclear although I finally got the grasp of it. There are some
bumps or cuts within it they sometimes throw me off. If you examine, the picture closely they
are rounded and small and have a line between them. Stomata have been known to be open, but
they can still seal themselves. I rather placed not sure because stomata have a thick surface a line
with a curve like plump lips. So, I highlighted it to let me know as I highlighted the rest stomata
the first row.
I was always intimated by science and all terms that are hard to pronounce, that will
explain why I took geology. Although my entrain relationship has not always been the best, I
mean I like science, but science does not like me. Citizen sciences change my perspective for the
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better. “Citizen science is the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific
research to increase scientific knowledge.” (Citizen Science Projects, National Geographic) In
others anyone and everyone can participate in a project or research. Truly I think this open door
as person who pushed science aside it made me more interested. Within towards the end of the
semester we had to pick a different project and study them. I picked sea forest it based on studies
of algae and how all living creatures who need or lived in algae. How they were forest of them
all around the world how satellite images had a hard time taking picture since they reflect so
strongly. I enjoyed reading the subject however these satellite images made it difficult. In which
made me understand why they needed help it hard to classify them due to the reflection. In the
meantime, as I submitted and read most of my classmate’s study there was one that stood out to
me the most it was the one that involve cloud seeing. I do that on the regular basis I think clouds
are so pretty, but to help a study out for cloud seeing, it made me think differently from science.
Science is a broad-spectrum geology to chemistry as even astronomy. Citizen science includes
that highlights that science can really be about anything and anyone can participate. I enjoyed
classifying the clouds it was calming and therapeutic. You can be a scientist without a doctor’s
degree yes without attending years of school. This makes a great impact it can motivate and push
people to coming around science or awake a passion never been discovered before. “The
movement is surfing wider societal forces, including a thirst for data; the rise of connectedness
and low-cost sensor technologies; and a push to improve the transparency and accessibility of
science” (Aisling Irwin, No PhDs Needed: how citizen science is transforming research). To my
surprise not everyone is founded by citizen science or think it is appropriate for others to
participate. Some feel that professional in their field should only participate in the citizen science
only. “Leaders in the field are pushing for more professionalization, by attempting to systematize
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the available research and agree on common methodologies.” (Aisling Irwin, No PhDs Needed:
How Citizen Science is Transforming Research) I all want to say is that we have learned more
and accomplish by grouping minds together. We have found cure and pointed out new diseases.
“Over two hundred and thirty-six thousand people regular people most of these people did not
have advanced degrees they did not have degrees in biochemistry got on board and they tried to
solve this problem by modeling a protein. Researchers could not do it in 15 years it took them
three weeks to solve it” (Leesa Ricci, The Citizen Science Revolution) This video left a mark if
professional scientist who attend school for years and work at their study for years could not
solve it; but regular people did. They were able to fold the protein to solve the Mason Pfizer
Monkey virus. All these people have come together to play a game that could save people lives
and open more doors. I am still amazed, how they were able to solve in three weeks when these
scientists were struggling for fifteen years. This further proves that anyone can accomplish and
solve anything with a help no matter what it is. The more the merrier.
My impact with the Zooniverse, I think it has helped the researchers. I am a student
studying Psychology and who is intimated by science. If I can leave an impact and leaving it
behind also an impact on myself that will be great. My first classifications would be covered
with unknows and a lot of blue marks of regular cells because they can be fun to classify. I did
not comment on the images because they were people who knew more. I dropped out of biology
because it was overwhelming, and honestly everyone was dropping left and right out of that
class. With geology it was easier I think personally that it was easy because I truly enjoy nature
and wanting to understand it. As I classified stomata and regular cell my burden for biology was
in the way. I felt discourage as I could not escape the study of living things, Zooniverse turn that
around. I am still trying to learn about regular cells and have firm grasp on everything. I still
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believe that my classifications can benefit their research. Also, I do hope they are able to
understand these white dots that lie around or inside the regular cells. I also notice they are never
in stomata only around them; they hover around it. It will perhaps help them understand better of
the atmosphere if they discovered the white dots.
People who placed a little effort or did not spend some time can still see the qualities of
the project. I was only introduced to Zooniverse for eight weeks and I can still see the benefits of
it. Even that I am still in between of it I understand it and I do not. That is okay and I truly at
peace with it, even if I am non major on science, I truly do appreciate the inclusion. One of my
articles that for citizen science the No PhDs Need, one of the scientists mentions that only
professionals should only be allowed in projects and on research. Or that citizen science is great
in some aspects, but some science genre but not all. I can see why they are concern over
something like this. Some data can corrupt things, or not be so beneficial at every project or is a
necessity for a group of things. They pointed out different science fields one specifically was
health as some will just intake their own experience. They can have an overload of information;
they would not know what to do with the rest of information. Either way my eight-week course
on this project has taught me a few things of the impact of the atmosphere and the cool things
plants can do.
My evidence within the Zooniverse project all my 107 classifications, all my
classifications have kicked my butt and had me on my toes too. I can not stop stressing this
science is not my best subject, but with practice you can come around to it. I had to study on
each concept to understand what stomata are and do. Furthermore, regular cell I wish I can
understand it even my own personal research I could never find a page or informative page that
was concise. I think regular cells are just plant cells, but the more I read of the two they got me
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thinking otherwise. Evermore, I realized that they are more to science it looks very intimating
with those complicated terms and process. I mean science is a huge web of things and you can
get lost with it or come out confused. One thing that it surprises me the most is the how
open/kind they are to others well scientist or founders are to research. I always picture a Sheldon
cooper always conducting these studies. If you got to the comment section, I was expecting a
fight or an argument of the theories. Maybe I watch to much of the Big Bang Theory, but they
approach courteously and comment to everyone no matter how big or small the question was. It
change my perspective and my approach to things especially learning subjects.
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Citation
Zooniverse: Fossil Atmospheres
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/laurasoul/fossil-atmospheres/classify
ScienceDirect: Stoma
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/stoma
Sciencing: Leaf Cell Structure
https://sciencing.com/leaf-cell-structure-7503669.html
National Geographic: Citizen Science Project
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/citizen-science/?q=&page=1&per_page=25
Nature: No PhDs Needed: How Citizen Science is Transforming Research, Aisling Irwin
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07106-5
TEDxSUU: The Citizen Science Revolution, Leesa Ricci
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8zVkVNs49Y&t=219s&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
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