Eyewire Rocks: A Geological Journey

FOR SCIENCE!

That’s always been Eyewire’s rallying call, and once again HQ is unveiling a new learning experience for our citizen scientists— a chance to not just learn and help neuroscience, but to also acquire other forms of scientific knowledge. Last year we explored a few of humanity’s final frontiers, such as space (of course) and the deep ocean.

But what about the ground right beneath our feet? Have you ever considered the mysteries of the mineral matter that forms the lifeblood of our planet’s molten interior? Do you marvel at the tectonic plates and the accumulated layers of rock that show the history of this thing we call “the Earth”? If you’re a rock collector, gemstone lover, amateur volcanologist, or just a fan of all things geology, this is the event for you: Eyewire Rocks!

Starting February 20th, this geological journey will take place with the following events. Join us for science, fun, and rockin’ rewards!

*All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).*

Crystal Clear Happy Hours

First session runs from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Thursday 2/20
Second session runs from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Friday 2/21
Third session runs from 10:00 PM to midnight on Friday 2/21

One important part of becoming a geologist is simply learning to identify many, many, many kinds of minerals! So first, we’re going to discover some examples of minerals that form beautiful crystals we all love to look at. While you learn how to accurately spot these crystals, you’ll also try to accurately trace cubes on Eyewire.

Swag: Most accurate player completing at least 20 cubes wins 1 notebook and their choice of a sticker or magnet! Second and third place may each also choose between sticker or magnet. (And thanks to @susi for sponsoring this year’s swag again!)

Bonuses:
1st Place Accuracy – 10,000 points
2nd Place Accuracy – 8,000 points
3rd Place Accuracy – 6,000 points
Achieve 95% Accuracy – 5,000 points
Achieve 90% Accuracy – 3,000 points
Achieve 80% Accuracy – 2,000 points
1,000 points for anyone under 80% who still plays at least 20 cubes in either slot.
(These bonus thresholds are non-cumulative, i.e. they will not combine. If you earn 3rd place, for instance, and presumably got over 95% accuracy, you still earn a 6,000 point bonus, not 11,000.)

Hunt

Begins at 12:00 AM (midnight) on Saturday 2/22
Ends at 12:00 PM (noon) on Thursday 2/27

Another important geology skill is recognizing the standard layers (or strata) in your region’s bedrock, so that you can also recognize when something there doesn’t really belong! Amid this stratigraphy lesson, it’s also time for you to try spotting mergers on our Hunt cell.

Swag: The top scoring player will win 1 notebook and their choice of a sticker or magnet! Second and third place may each also choose between sticker or magnet.

Bonuses:
Each merger found – 1,000 points
7,500 additional points if all 12 are found
200 point bonus available on each merger to the player whose guess is closest
250 point bonus available to any player who guesses within 10 voxels of a merger

Trivia

Begins at 11:00 AM on Sunday 2/23
Continues until 11:00 AM on Tuesday 2/25
Finishes with Power Hour from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday 2/25

We’re going sciencetastic with this trivia round! Watch the chat for opportunities to show off your knowledge of various geology topics, neuroscience, and more.

Swag: The top scoring player will win 1 notebook and their choice of a sticker or magnet! Second and third place may each also choose between sticker or magnet.

Bonuses:
For every question —
1st to answer – 300 points
2nd to answer – 200 points
3rd to answer – 100 points

Mesozoic vs. Cenozoic Eras

Begins at 11:00 AM on Monday 2/24
Ends at 11:00 AM on Wednesday 2/26

It’s hard to resist sneaking in a few dinosaurs for this challenge week. But the Mesozoic Era’s dinosaurs aren’t the only cool giant animals from prehistory! Let’s give it up for the sabretooths and the mammoths, too. Megafauna of the Mesozoic and the more recent Cenozoic will face off on Eyewire while you learn about geology’s role in tracking fossil records.

Swag: The top scoring player on the winning team wins 1 tote bag! Also, among the top 50% of players on the winning team, 1 player will be raffled 1 notebook, and 3 more players will be raffled the choice of sticker or magnet.

Bonuses:
Starting Lineup – top 3 players on each team, who earn 75% of their score in bonus points
All Other Players – earn 50% of their score in bonus points
Winning Team – 20,000 additional points
Each Team’s MVP – 5,000 additional points
(The winning team is determined by average points per player, with 2x weight given to Starting Lineup players. To qualify for any of the above bonuses or affect the team score, players must earn a minimum baseline of 2,000 points.)

Deep Time Marathon

Begins at 8:00 AM on Wednesday 2/26
Ends at 8:00 AM on Thursday 2/27

Human beings might understand long periods of time better than an ant can, but it’s staggering to try and consider what geologists call “deep time”: the amount of time covering Earth’s existence! While having a 24 hour marathon, we’ll also try to visualize milestones in Earth’s history as if they took place on a 24 hour time scale, for a wild sense of perspective.

Swag: The top player (defined by number of points earned during the marathon time period) will win 1 tote bag! Also, among the top 25% of players, 2 players will each be raffled notebooks, and 3 more players will be raffled the choice of sticker or magnet.

Bonuses:
One live cell will be designated the “marathon cell,” with a 3x points multiplier!
Cube count bonuses: 3500 points per cube traced.
SC bonuses are doubled on all cells.
Every 3 SCs counts for 1 cube toward naming eligibility & per-cell completion bonus.
50 cubes = 5,000 points per completed cell, plus rights to vote on a new name for the marathon cell
200 cubes = 10,000 points per completed cell, plus rights to nominate a new name for the marathon cell

Eyewire Rocks Closing Ceremony

Begins at 4:00 PM on Friday 2/28

Come celebrate the end of this competition, where admins will recognize everyone’s achievements. As always, we will include a round of promotions for Scouts, Scythes, Mystics, Moderators, and Mentors. If you’d like a promotion, you can request them here.

Artwork by Daniela Gamba