Thursday, September 19News That Matters

Tech

Harnessing AI for Disaster Management: A World Humanitarian Day Spotlight on #TechForGood

Harnessing AI for Disaster Management: A World Humanitarian Day Spotlight on #TechForGood

Breaking News, Tech
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to spark debates around its potential impacts, it is crucial to recognize how this technology can be a force for good, especially in the realm of disaster management. This year's World Humanitarian Day, observed on August 19, emphasizes the role of innovation and technology in enhancing our ability to respond to crises. By showcasing how various organizations and private sector entities are leveraging #TechForGood to #ActForHumanity, we can explore the transformative power of AI in disaster preparedness and response. AI-Powered Disaster Preparedness: A Case from Peru One of the most significant challenges in disaster management is managing the overwhelming amount of information available and ensuring that the right people receive the most per...
Early Warning for All: Liberia Becomes First West African Nation to Launch EW4All Initiative

Early Warning for All: Liberia Becomes First West African Nation to Launch EW4All Initiative

Breaking News, Disasters, Tech
In a significant move towards enhancing disaster preparedness and resilience, Liberia has become the first West African nation to launch the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative. The launch event, held over two days, saw participation from key stakeholders, including Ansu V. S. Dulleh, Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency. Dulleh highlighted the need for inclusive and equitable early warning systems that account for diverse vulnerabilities, such as gender, age, and disability. Upcoming Events RA V TCC-22 with EW4All & WRP Programme Date: July 30 - August 2, 2024 Location: Brisbane, Australia Workshop & Study Tour on CAP & CB Date: August 1-2, 2024 Location: New Delhi, India Mozambique National EW4All Roadmap Launch Date:...
Transformative AI Initiative Revolutionizes Extreme Weather Forecasting in East Africa

Transformative AI Initiative Revolutionizes Extreme Weather Forecasting in East Africa

Breaking News, Disasters, Tech
In a pioneering effort to revolutionize extreme weather forecasting and early warning systems, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Oxford University Physics Department, IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), and various national meteorology agencies across East Africa have joined forces. This initiative comes at a crucial time for East Africa, where climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, from devastating droughts to deadly floods. Dr. Shruti Nath, a climate scientist at Oxford University Physics, emphasized the transformative potential of the new AI-based weather forecasting approach. Traditional models often fall short in predicting extreme weather, particularly in regions with limited resources and infrastructu...
New Tool Developed by University of Hawai  Scientists Enhances Long-Term Forecasting of El Niño Events

New Tool Developed by University of Hawai Scientists Enhances Long-Term Forecasting of El Niño Events

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Tech
As severe weather events draw increasing global attention, scientists at the University of Hawai at Mānoa are making strides in improving the forecasting of droughts, floods, and other climate scenarios. Researchers from the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) have developed a novel tool that allows for the prediction of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events up to 18 months in advance. The research, which integrates insights into the physics of the ocean and atmosphere with predictive accuracy, was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature. "We have developed a new conceptual model - the so-called extended nonlinear recharge oscillator (XRO) model - that significantly improves predictive skill of ENSO events over one year in advance, better than g...
Dutch Startup’s Ambitious Plan to Restore Arctic Sea Ice Using Skating Rink Technology

Dutch Startup’s Ambitious Plan to Restore Arctic Sea Ice Using Skating Rink Technology

Breaking News, Disasters, Tech
In an innovative attempt to address the critical issue of melting Arctic ice, a Dutch startup, Arctic Reflections, is exploring a technique traditionally used to create outdoor skating rinks. This approach involves flooding fields with thin layers of water to gradually build up ice, which could potentially be applied to the Arctic ice caps to combat their rapid decline. Melting Arctic Ice Crisis Arctic ice is shrinking by nearly 13% per decade, with scientists warning that ice-free summers in the Arctic could become a reality by 2050. This not only accelerates global warming due to the reduced albedo effect (where ice reflects sunlight back into space), but it also endangers polar bears' habitats and the lifestyles of Indigenous communities dependent on Arctic ecosystems. Fonger Y...
Unlocking the Lifesaving Potential of Location-Based Technology with Cutting-Edge Solutions to improve Emergency Response

Unlocking the Lifesaving Potential of Location-Based Technology with Cutting-Edge Solutions to improve Emergency Response

Breaking News, Disasters, Tech, Thoughts & Talks
In the recent age of technological advancement, location-based technology stands out for its versatility and wide-ranging applications. While commonly recognized for mapping, navigation, and analytics, one of its most impactful yet often overlooked use cases is its potential to save lives and expedite emergency/disaster response efforts. This article explores the views and insights of the transformative role of location-based technology in emergency situations, shedding light on its capabilities, applications, and the potential it holds for improving overall emergency preparedness. The Power of Location-Based Technology in Emergencies There are views and pictorial representation of a scenarios where chaos erupts due to an emergency, and it counts every second by the humanity. The traditi...
India successfully Launched XPoSAT to Explore the Mystery of Black Holes: Understand the Facts about Satellite Launch

India successfully Launched XPoSAT to Explore the Mystery of Black Holes: Understand the Facts about Satellite Launch

Breaking News, Space, Tech
On 1st January, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSAT) from Sriharikota, marking a significant step in exploring the mysteries of black holes. Here are key facts about this groundbreaking mission: The launch took place at 9:10 am, using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which successfully placed XPoSAT into its intended orbit of 650 km with a 6-degree inclination. The launch was described as a "textbook launch" by astrophysicist Dipankar Bhattacharya, with the satellite achieving the expected orbit for conducting scientific studies. The mission marked the 60th flight of the PSLV and positions India as only the second country, after the US, to have an observatory dedicated to studying black holes. ...
Use of Emerging Technologies like Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning in Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Use of Emerging Technologies like Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning in Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities, challenges, and prospects

Breaking News, Tech, Thoughts & Talks
In the recent era of digital world, Artificial intelligence has become most popular and innovative technology, which is playing a critical role in managing disaster risk and predicting the extreme events. It has a wide range of applications from the forecasting the extreme weather events, to development of hazard maps, to the detection of events in real time basis, and integrated with spatial technology can provide the real-time situational awareness for any disaster event, and beyond. When we talk about AI let’s try to understand the AI form technology perspectives and how this can improve the disasters management practices.  AI refers to emerging technologies that mimic or even outperform the human intelligence while performing certain tasks or even to automate the things. AI tools an...
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Captures 14 Years of the Universe’s Gamma Radiation in Stunning Timelapse

NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Captures 14 Years of the Universe’s Gamma Radiation in Stunning Timelapse

Breaking News, Space, Tech
A timelapse compiled from data collected by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope between August 2008 and August 2022 reveals a captivating view of the Universe’s gamma radiation. Fermi, launched in 2008, has been instrumental in studying gamma radiation sources, including those emanating from supernova remnants, pulsar stars, quasar and blazar galaxies, and other energetic celestial phenomena. Gamma radiation, being the most energetic light in the cosmos, is typically blocked by Earth’s atmosphere, necessitating the deployment of telescopes like Fermi in space to capture this elusive light. The recently released timelapse showcases the diverse sources of gamma radiation observed by Fermi over the course of 14 years. Judy Racusin, an astronomer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center,...
The impact of artificial intelligence and virtual reality: How artificial intelligence and VR are transforming society and their long-term effects

The impact of artificial intelligence and virtual reality: How artificial intelligence and VR are transforming society and their long-term effects

Breaking News, Tech
The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technologies has led to a profound transformation in various aspects of society. AI’s ability to process massive amounts of data and VR’s ability to create immersive experiences have opened up new opportunities and challenges across many industries. A revolutionary industry The integration of AI and VR is reshaping industries across all disciplines. In healthcare, VR is used to train doctors, run simulations and help with mental health treatment. Artificial intelligence-based medical algorithms improve diagnostic accuracy and streamline treatment plans, improving patient outcomes. In addition, AI and VR are transforming manufacturing by optimizing production processes, predicting maintenance needs and reducin...