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Trans-Scale Biology Challenge: combining community science and AI

What could we learn from 3 million wildlife photos, that we could not learn from 3 photos? Answer in 300 words and win a prize!

Japan's National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB) has for ultimate goal to explain the mechanisms and functions of biological phenomena through a wide array of research projects. In recent years, we have put particular focus on advancing trans-scale biology, the integrated study of phenomena that transcend physical and conceptual scales, from genes to macromolecules, to organelles, cells, cellular structures, organs, individuals, and finally whole populations. As a result, we face the difficult task of drawing meaning from a enormous amount of incredibly diverse data. The heart of the issue then is: how to extract and analyze information from this data?

This is where AI could play an important role. AI can detect complex patterns and draw out important information from large datasets. AI-based technology can no doubt open new horizons for biology.

With that in mind, the NIBB is organizing an AI & Biology idea contest (Ideathon). Using large datasets of animal and plant photos collected through community science, what insights can be gleamed, and how might these insights be extracted? The best ideas could be selected to be implemented in the next phase of the contest, the Hackathon. Science should not be reserved for scientists and specialists, but open to everyone. Will you embark on this trip towards the future of biology with us?