An iPhone App for Gianna Z…

This is just too cool. 

In my upcoming middle grade novel The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, the main character has a monster leaf collection due.  It’s a project she’s put off to the last minute, and now everything that can possibly go wrong…does.  If only she’d had access to this iPhone application, I might have written a whole different story. The scientists developing this particular app say if all goes well, you’ll be able to identify a plant from a photo of its leaves that’s then uploaded to a database.  Ultimately, they say it could help researchers learn more about climate change and changes in biodiversity.  And of course…it would make those school leaf collection projects a walk in the park.  Thanks to  for the link!

4 Replies on “An iPhone App for Gianna Z…

  1. I read about this yesterday, Kate, but didn’t make the Gianna Z connection. Having done a leaf project of my own back in the day, I can see the appeal to students everywhere! (Also, of course, lots of appeal to citizen scientists with a phenology bent.)