A photo to help science. If you stop on a French beach this summer, you may be able to advance science thanks to your sense of observation. The association Planète Mer calls on citizens to identify animals and plants from the coast as part of a "participatory science" program which will then allow the Museum of Natural History to enrich its catalog of species. "Anything that appeals to you, send it to us!", Calls the director of the association, Laurent Debas, at the microphone of Europe 1.
"Seven-year-old child found seahorse that had never been seen"
Whether it's a pretty crab on the sand or a vellum in the water (a small bluish jellyfish the size of a two-euro coin), anything can be useful. A boost that the big ones, like the little ones, can give. "We had a seven-year-old child who found a small seahorse on Marseille beaches that had never been observed," confirms Laurent Delbas. All the pictures sent to the association via its website biolit.fr are then analyzed by scientists.
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Because what interests researchers above all is to detect indicators of global warming on animals or plants. And for that, no need to come across a fantastic animal: for example, if you see cuttlefish or squid eggs, which do not necessarily lay in the same period, do not hesitate to immortalize them. An activity that can also be practiced with the family, to combine business with pleasure.