CiteTrail

CiteTrail is a web app (with optional mobile companion) that turns the history of science into a navigable citation map. Pick a concept (e.g., germ theory, plate tectonics, CRISPR) and the app builds a timeline of key papers, letters, lab notebooks, and reputable secondary sources, showing who cited whom and what changed between iterations. An AI layer summarizes each source in plain language, flags contested claims, and highlights “myth vs. evidence” (e.g., oversimplified hero narratives). Users can save reading lists, export citations, and generate classroom-ready packets with stable links and page-level references. The app is brutally strict about provenance: every summary must link to a specific source, edition, and page/section. It’s not a fun trivia app; it’s a research aid for people tired of shallow timelines and Wikipedia rabbit holes.