Big data can also help save our environment

Many things have been attributed to technology in recent years. One of them is not saving the planet from the risks of climate change. New technological advancements have long been linked to an increased carbon footprint and other environmental issues. Big data is changing the game in this regard. Many experts believe that big data will play a critical role in combating climate change in the next years.

#1. HP's earth insights

Big data analysis is gathering large volumes of data from many sources, such as tweets and photos from ordinary people, and then computationally analyzing it to identify trends, patterns, and associations. The partnership between HP and Conservation International is an excellent example of big data analysis.

Earth Insights, a joint venture between HP and Conservation International, utilizes technology to track biodiversity loss in tropical forests throughout the world. Scientists can trace how human activities, land use, and climate change have affected various species using millions of animal pictures recorded by concealed cameras.

#2. Pop-up habitat

The charity The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has launched Bird Return, which collects and analyses Crowd-sourced data from birdwatchers. To generate precise forecasts about when flocks will emerge, data from NASA satellite photography, eBird, and other sources are examined. The data is then combined with water maps to determine where habitat is most required. The charity then leases the property from farmers for a period of time, after which it is flooded to allow birds to nest, bathe, drink, and rest during their migratory trips. Farmers benefit from this program in that they obtain water for their crops, so it's a win-win scenario for everyone.

#3. Intel's anti-poaching rhino chip

Every year, over 1000 rhinos are murdered in Southern Africa alone. Intel has developed a credit-card-sized Galileo board with storage and 3-G connectivity capabilities to address the issue. The highly endangered black and white rhinoceros are fitted with this chip. The low-power PCB also has a long-lasting solar panel for charging the battery. The geo-location and movement data of each collared rhino is encrypted to prevent poachers from accessing it. Each animal's horn contains a small RFID chip. Anti-poaching squads will be dispatched if the Galileo board detects a breach in the closeness between the ankle and the horn.

#4. Study endangered species

Thousands of photos from drones, satellites, and cam traps in the wild are traditionally collected and analyzed by analysts. This information is utilized to research uncommon or endangered animal populations, ranges, and habits. It's a time-consuming job that needs patience, expertise, and focus. But, owing to deep learning techniques, computers can now complete this time-consuming operation with ease, accuracy, and speed. AI is being utilized to acquire new insights into previously unknown animal populations. Artificial Intelligence is currently being utilized to research secretive snow leopards in Central Asia's Kyrgyzstan and decreasing elephant herds in Africa's Congo.

#5. Project premonition

Microsoft and US colleges are collaborating on Project Premonition, which seeks to detect viruses before they create epidemics. In this research, artificial intelligence is utilized to analyze blood collected by mosquitoes from animals across an ecosystem in order to acquire useful information. A robotic trap captures and preserves selected species, and their blood is subsequently examined using genetic sequencing, data analytics, deep learning, and the cloud to discover hazardous virus strains. It has the potential to aid in the fight against the Zika virus, dengue fever, and other mosquito-borne illnesses.

#6. Saving polar bears

Scientists are doing everything they can to rescue the polar bears, who presently number just 25000 throughout the world, as Arctic Sea ice melts. Northrop Grumman Corporation and San Diego Global Zoo are collaborating to build autonomous quadcopter drones which will be used to monitor ice development and polar bear activity as part of this project. In temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, these drones will be deployed to the Arctic Circle to examine ice and bears. Its goal is to monitor polar bears in their native habitat on a scale that has never been done before. Artificial Intelligence will be used to examine the data acquired thus far.

#7. Accelerate conservation efforts

Land-use trends may be studied using artificial intelligence. Microsoft and other IT behemoths are developing tools to convert high-resolution images into land cover maps. Researchers will be able to gain an unparalleled perspective of where our world is changing and how it is changing by analyzing such maps. This will assist governments, organizations, and scientists in deploying conservation programs most efficiently for the greatest benefit.

#8. Energy conservation

How to use energy-efficient equipment is one of the world's most pressing issues today. As a consequence of the inadequacies, significant energy resources are wasted. This waste of energy not only contributes to energy issues but also to significant climate change.

AI is rapidly being used by scientists all around the world to understand patterns of energy usage based on time of day and night, location, and seasons. The data gathered is then put to good use in terms of energy management, distribution, and storage.

For instance, Google was able to reduce its energy use by 15% thanks to AI and machine learning. Organizations all across the world may surely follow Google's lead and do the same.

#9. Climate and big data AI

Big data on climate can now be acquired from an infinite number of sources, collated, and provided to scientists doing climate research all around the world, thanks to current technology. Scientists can detect climate changes over time to offer an accurate picture of the harm. The scientists will be able to detect risk regions and weaknesses considerably earlier as a result of this.

AI can assist in the analysis of trends and outcomes, as well as give precise forecasts of future vulnerabilities and harm.

#10. Weather disasters can be predicted ahead of time

Annually, catastrophic weather disasters claim the lives of many people and cause significant property damage. People and governments may forecast such catastrophes early using AI's capacity to understand weather patterns and typical consequences from those patterns, allowing pre-emptive preparations to be taken. AI will be able to forecast the severity and duration of the disaster, perhaps saving many lives and assets.

Conclusion

The emergence of "intelligent" technology has undoubtedly expedited and permitted fascinating new possibilities for studying and saving the earth and animals in the world's most distant locations. The success of such attempts, however, will be contingent on coordinated efforts by the general public, governments, businesses, and today's and tomorrow's inventors.