The Citizen Scientist’s Guide
The Citizen Scientist’s Guide
The Citizen Scientist’s Guide is a special column written for WATCH Citizen Science by freelance author R. Marcel. His articles share scientific knowledge in everyday language, making complex ideas easy to understand and connected to the world around us.
This is a place to find thoughtful pieces that spark curiosity, invite observation, and inspire readers to see science as part of daily life.
-
Freshwater: Earth’s Most Precious Liquid
If someone in outer space were to cast their view away from the vast, stary tapestry of the cosmos, and back to our home – Earth – they would see a bright blue-green orb hanging in contrast with the black void surrounding it. Our beautiful, blue planet looks that way because it’s mostly water. The…
-
Water – A Humbling Force of Nature
In our last discussion, we explored the four quiet miracles of water. These were the molecular quirks that allow it to sustain life across the planet. Water dissolves nutrients, stabilizes climate, floats as ice to protect underwater ecosystems, and climbs through plants to carry life upward from soil to sky. Those properties are so generous…
-
Water — Four Quiet Miracles
We recently took journeys back through the ages, from the time of primordial Earth, though the ascent of civilization, and to hypothetical futures our species may take. The star of that journey, is water. When I think of it – there are four quiet miracles of water, in how it sustains life. Life does not merely exist in water,…
About the Author
R. Marcel is a WATCH Citizen Science freelance author, and lives in Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada. He’s been a lifelong student of science, and an advocate for science literacy and public discourse.
Looking for More?
Along with his work here on CitizenScience.ca, including The Citizen Scientist’s Guide, R Marcel shares more of his thoughts and explorations on science, nature, curiosity and the world around us through Tending a Candle in the Dark on Substack. Check out his latest posts below and follow where curiosity leads.