Spidey Senser

This new project is in beta testing - sign up for the project to be updated on new features. We would love your feedback!

The mission of Spidey Senser is to ensure an equitable distribution of clean air. This is currently difficult to deliver because of a lack of fine-scale air quality monitoring across large regions. While technology has made air quality monitoring more possible for individuals, low-cost sensors can still be a financial hurdle for many. Become a part of a network of neighborhood air quality monitors using tools you already have available to you: spider webs. Metals in the air settle as dust and drift onto spider webs. Collect these webs in your neighborhood and send them to our lab where we can identify the type and amount of metals in your sample. With spiders as bioindicators, we can detect differences in air quality from neighborhood to neighborhood. Become a Spidey Senser and connect with a web of neighbors that want clean air for their communities.

Mailing address: Hawn Lab | Room 311, Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building | University of Maryland Baltimore County | 1000 Hilltop Circle | Baltimore MD, 21250