Teen Science Café: Unwinding Spiral Galaxies: How Volunteers and AI Team Up to Identify Individual Spiral Arms

Teenagers are invited to explore how scientists use crowdsourced observation paired with artificial intelligence to study galaxy structures. Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, a researcher at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, will explain how the spiral arms of galaxies reveal hidden information about dark matter and black holes. By learning how volunteers measure these cosmic features across thousands of galaxies, teens will discover how this collaborative approach helps us understand how galaxies like our own Milky Way develop and change over time. This free program is part of the Teen Science Café series and welcomes young people interested in astronomy and scientific research. No registration fees or advance sign-up requirements stand in the way—just show up and learn from an expert in the field. It's a great opportunity for curious teens to see real science in action and understand how everyday people contribute to major discoveries.