Short, meandering column about the consciousness-raising impact of wiring ecosystems into the global network via sensors and cameras: "(w)hether it's a happy plant on the office window ledge, or a deeper understanding of how the last few members of a species are clinging to life, directing new capillary sensor networks into ecosystems can bring us real insight into problems that matter."
The author surveys the growing number of 'bird-watching' sites on the internet and argues that their combined effect is "bringing an explosion of intelligence and even global consciousness to the earth." He notes: "The projects are still embryonic -- perhaps 70,000 people contributed this year. But those numbers are vastly greater than in the days of paper and pen and have been doubling every year. The resulting picture of the natural world is consequently becoming richer and more complex. That's not the earth-moving part, however. The earth-moving part -- literally -- is that, as a result, a movement is spontaneously emerging that alters the physical nature of the planet so as to make it more amenable to the birds that are indicator species of global environmental health."