Listen to the eclipse 😎

Monday marks one of the largest natural wonders of the year – a total eclipse of the sun that will cover much of the United States. The full total solar eclipse experience will plunge a strip of the country into darkness midday on Monday, but people outside the path of totality can still use eclipse glasses to see the moon pass in front of the sun – if it's not blocked by clouds (check to see where you are on the eclipse path!).

While the country gazes at the sky, many scientists will be directing their eyes on animals, like flamingos, which are known to show bizarre behavior during totality. Or they'll be looking at plants, noting weather patterns, or listening to the eerie, sudden silence known to accompany an eclipse.

These scientists need help from citizen researchers (like you!) to observe the effects of the event on nature and even our place in the universe.

👋 Nicole Fallert here and welcome to Your Week, our newsletter exclusively for Paste BN subscribers (that's you!). This week, we talk with Paste BN reporter Elizabeth Weise about the scientific projects you can participate in tomorrow.

But first, don't miss these stories made possible by your Paste BN subscription:

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'It shows us where we are in the universe'

Paste BN is going to be present at every moment of the eclipse. Our reporters, including Elizabeth Wiese, will be stationed across the nation, tracking the weather, talking to witnesses and sharing every piece of knowledge you'd need to know (like how can we take a GOOD photo of the big moment?!).

The path of the eclipse in the U.S. is really, really big. Americans from Texas to Maine will catch the full eclipse on the path of totality while people in states to the Northeast and southeast will see partial eclipses. That's millions of eyeballs poised to observe a singular celestial event, aka every scientist's dream. The massive attention to the event gives researchers a unique opportunity to gather an immense amount of data about a natural phenomenon, Weise says.

"There are a number of projects where people can make meaningful contributions this week," Weise said. "Citizen science gives scientists ears and eyes where researchers can't really be."

Here are a few of the ways you can add to scientific discovery tomorrow:

• Explore the animal kingdom: SolarEclipseSafari.org asks volunteers to observe and report on animals near them – including pets, farm and wild animals – and record how they behave during the eclipse. Do they look toward the sky, do they group together, do they get ready for sleep or wake up?
• Help NASA make a movie: NASA hopes to gather photographs from across the 90 minutes during which the moon’s shadow crosses from Mexico to Canada. These will then be combined into an Eclipse Megamovie that will reveal otherwise difficult-to-observe activity in the corona.
• Listen to the sudden silence: One of the striking experiences of an eclipse is how animals, birds and insects fall silent as the darkness approaches. The Eclipse Soundscapes project will be collecting observations and recorded sound data to help understand the impact of the 2024 solar eclipses on various U.S. ecosystems. 

A science reporter's advice

Make an eclipse plan now (or hopefully you already have one). If you want to participate in a scientific project, it will make your experience smoother to know how you're going to do the work (like, do you need to have an app downloaded or your camera ready?). We'd hate for your research prep to make you miss the big moment!

These projects are really easy to participate in, no matter your scientific expertise level, Weise says: "If you get involved, is not like you have to spend the whole totality doing them. Experience the eclipse how you want to experience it. It really is a powerful thing for the sun to go away. It shows us where we are in the universe."

Read more about the eclipse from Paste BN

• For some, the eclipse is evidence of higher power. For others, it's a warning.
• Can you really go blind by looking at a solar eclipse?
• Here's a definitive solar eclipse guide for kids (adults also welcome).
• These New York inmates say a prison lockdown for the eclipse violates their religious freedom.
• The eclipse is a unique learning moment for schools across the nation.
• Here's how people with disabilities can experience the celestial moment.
• A NASA scientist described seeing a solar eclipse from outer space.

Thank you

Paste BN has put all hands on deck to cover this historic celestial moment. I'm so proud of the creativity and curiosity that drive our newsroom every day. None of these explorations would be possible without your support. Now, let me go get my eclipse glasses ready. 🕶️

Best wishes, 

Nicole Fallert