Tapping the potential of the crowd for the greater good is not a new phenomenon for science - what is new however, is the scale on which it can be achieved using modern technology. The means by which a wider audience can be reached has increased exponentially providing new avenues for public engagement and opportunities for raising awareness of research and importantly, supporting the men and women behind the science. The science of the past continues to improve and impact positively upon our lives in a myriad of ways - satellite navigation, birth control pill, the radio, penicillin, liquid crystals, IVF, stem cells, microwaves, anti-cancer drugs - and this is the very short list! None of these examples were part of a targeted effort to innovate - they all arose because talented and curious individuals asked questions about and explored the world in which they live.
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