In world of citizen science, amateurs and enthusiasts make real contributions

CHICAGO _ Conducting scientific research is often tedious and time-consuming, but someone had to do it.

Now, though, as many scientists have seen grant funding and resources shrink, they're exploring new ways of approaching their work, increasingly with the help of everyday amateurs and enthusiasts through what's known as citizen science.

The term was popularized in the 1990s, but the concept isn't new. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count, for example, where volunteers across the country help conduct an avian census, started in 1900.

Yet the ease with which people can learn about opportunities, participate and share data through the internet and social media has vastly expanded the possibilities of citizen science. Smartphones have propelled it even farther, as participants can upload their data with the touch of a button.

"I think it's really enabled citizen science to blossom and reach the place it is in today," said Jake Weltzin, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.