BECOME A SMARTPHONE SCIENTIST

Amazing tips and tricks to transform your smartphone into a bug-finding, star-spotting, data-gathering device

- SCOTT DUTFIELD

Smartphones have become an integral part of our everyday lives, keeping us informed and connected. However, we often forget that these handheld devices are packed with an enormous amount of technology, much of which we can use to have some fun with science. From stargazing to studying microbes, sensors in your smartphone such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and barometers gather a wealth of information. Apps such as Phyphox use your phone's built-in sensors so that you can conduct lots of different at-home experiments. For example, by tapping into your phone's magnetometer, Phyphox can measure the rotation rate of a fidget spinner, or it can use your phone's barometer to measure your speed in a moving elevator.