Kite camera 'monitors volcano'

Citizen science has made a significant difference to the monitoring of the volcano on Montserrat in the Caribbean, according to new research presented at the Royal Geographical Society on Friday.

Local residents have been flying kites with aerial cameras attached after the UN asked for more community involvement in risk reduction.

Jonathan Stone, a volcanologist at the University of East Anglia, told the Today programme's Sarah Montague that "it is really important for the people of the island to take ownership of the valley," adding that this technology was one of the ways to do this.

Dr Hilary Geoghegan, a research fellow in citizen science projects at UCL, said, "we have a long tradition of amateurs and enthusiasts and volunteers taking part in science projects" in the UK, explaining that this was part of the growing scope of citizen science.

"It's just realising that we are all scientists," she said.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday 30 August 2013.