The activity “Time Flies! Observing Our History and Relationship with Biodiversity”, part of the international citizen science network in adaptation genomics Melanogaster Catch The Fly! (MCTF), aims to integrate the local knowledge and collective memory of people working in rural areas with the sampling and research efforts of students, teachers, and scientists across Europe. The goal is to enrich studies on the impact of climate change on both local and global biodiversity. This initiative seeks to recover local memory and collective knowledge about the natural environment and agricultural practices, by connecting students, educators, farmers, and rural workers from various regions of Spain. The collaboration among these groups represents a valuable opportunity to enhance scientific research and provide meaningful data to better understand the effects of climate change. By linking the everyday observations and experiences of those working in the fields with the activities of Melanogaster Catch The Fly! and current research conducted by the European Drosophila Population Genomics Consortium (DrosEU), a bridge is created between traditional knowledge and scientific progress—opening new perspectives and interpretations with great potential to enrich the field of adaptation genomics.
The outcome of this activity is the exhibition “Time Flies! Observing Our History and Relationship with Biodiversity”, made possible through the collaboration of educational centers from Ciudad Real, Valencia, Navarra, and Granada, and hosted on this online repository:
👉 https://timeflies.omicsuab.org/
The “Time Flies!” exhibition is part of the citizen science project Melanogaster Catch The Fly! (MCTF), organized by the Laboratory of Evolutionary and Functional Genomics at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona (CSIC – CMCNB), the science outreach platform La Ciència Al Teu Món (LCATM), and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). MCTF is supported by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology – Ministry of Science and Innovation (FECYT), the European Drosophila Population Genomics Consortium (DrosEU), and the European Research Council (ERC). Participating schools include: IES Eladio Cabañero, CES Ramón y Cajal (Granada), IES Benjamín de Tudela, Col·legi Mare de Déu de l’Olivar II (Valencia), IES José de Mora (Baza), and IES Azuer (Manzanares).
