I’ve been watching the increasing numbers of crowd-funded science projects with some fascination. I don’t think this is the way to fund all science, but some things are quite possible, and more likely to get funded this way than through traditional channels.
For instance, here’s a perfect candidate, just languishing:
Herpetology In Latin America: An Interdisciplinary Approach: ethnoherpetology and conservation in Latin America. How can you not think that’s neat, and want to chip in a few dollars to see it succeed?
Or this potentially ground-breaking project:
Poikey, the Cancer Killer: A possible physical method to improve targeting of anti-cancer drugs. I find the presentation rather fluffy, but the creators have been good about responding to questions about scientific capabilities.
What do you think of crowdfunding as a possibility for art? For science? Seen anything worth sharing lately?
Something ate my first comment yesterday.
I applaud the creative thinking that made it so easy to take projects directly to the people with the most interest vested in them. The phenomenal success of some of the crowdfunded projects in the fandom community makes me hope for great things in related areas. Certainly it will work for art; I’m hoping for science too.
I’ve contributed to three projects relevant here.
The quest to c14-date a medieval nalebound mitten from Ribe: http://www.booomerang.dk/projects/stot-datering-af-den-nalebundne-vante-fra-middelalderens-ribe/
A plan to protect and preserve the highly endangered manuscripts from Timbuktu: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/timbuktu-libraries-in-exile
And of course the DreamRocket, an art project to cover a Saturn V rocket completely with textile art. I funded this back when it first started, when you had to buy the privilege of a square of the surface. Now they’ve gone to a slightly different model. But the Saturn V is my childhood heritage, and draping one in textile art is a fun combination of art and science, so I’m in. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thedreamrocket/wrapping-the-real-saturn-v-moon-rocket