General Participants
13 years old and above
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Our surroundings are teeming with life forms that boast incredible diversity and complexity. From the vibrant flowers, to the birds soaring high in the sky, without forgetting the unknown creatures of the deep sea, countless organisms bring us endless questions and wonders. The beauty of their forms, their innovative strategies for survival, and the intricate relationships woven between species constantly stir our curiosity and invite us on a journey to explore the mysteries of life.
To delve deeper into the mysteries of ecosystems and unravel the secrets of life, Japan's National Institute for Basic Biology is advancing various innovative research projects. Our daily research goals are to understand complex processes such as the development, and evolution of organisms, and their interactions within ecosystems. A wide range of perspectives and creative ideas are essential to explore the vast amount of information provided by modern research equipment. This is why we are soliciting ideas from the public.
The target of this idea contest is datasets of photos of animals and plants, and particularly open datasets published online. For example, the database of the open science platform iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/), which has collected over 174 million biological images and their metadata, submitted by more than 7 million volunteers. With this overwhelming amount of biological images, what hidden secrets of the natural world can we uncover? What can we decipher from the information contained in these photos? New species might be hiding in the data. Or maybe the secrets of evolution are waiting to be discovered... We welcome your creative and innovative ideas. This is the first phase of idea solicitation, and a second phase will include an implementation contest for these ideas. Your idea could be realized and materialize as a research theme.
Science is no longer just for professionals; it should be more open. Community science involves volunteers assisting scientists in data collection and categorization. Community-led science means that you take the initiative and propose what kind of science should be conducted. Would you like to join us on this journey to decipher the wonders of life? Your creativity and curiosity could lead to new scientific discoveries. If you are interested, please take this opportunity to apply. Each one of your ideas could be the key to unlocking unknown realms and carving out new frontiers in biology. We warmly welcome participants from diverse backgrounds. Let's explore the depths of life together and reveal its secrets.
We look forward to your creative ideas.
How to Participate:
How to Participate:
Please outline your idea in less than 300 words and submit it through the form below. Tell us why you find that idea interesting interesting, what you think the world would learn from the results, and the methods you think will be necessary to realize it. We will also need your name and email address to contact you if you win.
Submission Deadline:
Submission Deadline:
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Selection Process:
Selection Process:
Ideas will be carefully reviewed by a selection team at the National Institute for Basic Biology. Selected ideas may have the opportunity to be pursued as research projects. Additionally, individuals who propose outstanding ideas may be invited to participate in the project or to present their findings.
Independently, ideas will be submitted to a public vote; the winner will receive a "Public's Choice" certificate.
Notice concerning intellectual property rights:
Notice concerning intellectual property rights:
The participants can only submit their own original ideas, provided these ideas have not been submitted to another contest.
The participants must consent to a CC BY license when submitting their ideas. This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator.
We may share the submitted ideas publicly, whole or in part.
There is no guarantee that the ideas will be implemented, even if they win the contest.
Once publicly shared, anyone (including but not limited to the NIBB) may decide to implement an idea, whole or in part, with proper credit to the participants.
Scientific progress begins with each individual's small idea. Join us in exploring the mysteries of life and embarking on a journey of new discoveries.
Prize:
Prize:
The winner will receive an iPad Pro 2024 (13 inch with Wi-Fi + Cellular, pen not included).
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