Technology

Google funds FireSat launch to detect and track wildfires

Published

5 hours ago

September 20, 2024

Featured image for Google funds FireSat launch to detect and track wildfires

Google has backed FireSat, a constellation of satellites intended to detect, track, and perhaps even prevent wildfires from spreading. The first satellite in the FireSat program is expected to launch early next year.

Google is backing the FireSat satellite launch

Google Maps and Search services have been alerting users about nearby wildfire boundaries since 2020. The search giant has been mapping the wildfires in detail ensuring users are aware of the potential danger. Google also sends notifications and instructions on how to stay safe.

Google has infused $13m into an initiative led by the Earth Fire Alliance that aims to “detect and track wildfires the size of a classroom within 20 minutes”. A blog post published this week details FireSat. Essentially, it is a new constellation of satellites to monitor, detect, and track early-stage wildfires.

In addition to financially backing FireSat, Google Research will also contribute to this project. The entire platform will have Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide a better way to monitor and manage wildfires.

Google has indicated that the Google Research team will plug relevant data into Machine Learning (ML) technology. This would help develop AI-driven enhancements aimed at detecting wildfires when they are small.

How will FireSat help detect wildfires and save lives?

Wildfires are notoriously difficult to detect. Oftentimes, there are false alarms. Moreover, current-generation satellite imagery used for wildfire detection has low-resolution imagery and infrequent updates.

All these restrictions usually mean wildfires remain undetected until they become as large as football fields. Needless to say, such delays allow wildfires to rapidly expand, destroy habitats, and threaten nearby towns. Google and the FireSat constellation aim to bring down, or perhaps eliminate, the aforementioned limitations, and speed up detection.

The first FireSat satellite, which Google is helping launch, is expected to happen early next year. Fully deployed, this constellation should have 50 satellites in low-earth orbit.

The FireSat satellites are equipped with infrared sensors that detect small fires. Some reports suggest the constellation could eventually detect a fire as small as 5 by 5 meters or about the size of a classroom.

FireSat should be able to provide accurate and actionable information about the location, size, and intensity of early-stage wildfires. This early detection, coupled with real-time updates, could mean agencies can douse wildfires before they pose any serious threat.

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Technology

Terminator Zero review: Terminator is back, in a striking but flawed anime version

Published

11 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Terminator Zero. Timothy Olyphant as The Terminator in Terminator Zero Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX ?? 2024

Terminator Zero
Mattson Tomlin
Netflix

How many times can Judgment Day arrive and/or be averted before it loses all meaning? That question has plagued every instalment in the Terminator franchise later than James Cameron’s brilliant first two movies. It is something that the new Netflix animated series Terminator Zero attempts to address – perhaps in order to justify its own existence.

Cameron has no involvement in Terminator Zero, which was created and written by Mattson Tomlin and animated by Japanese studio Production I.G.…

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Technology

[LISTEN] Tech at Mintel: A Tech Leader’s Journey to Success and Inclusion

Published

32 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

[LISTEN] Tech at Mintel: A Tech Leader's Journey to Success and Inclusion

The Tech at Mintel series shines a spotlight on our global IT department and how some of the industry’s best and brightest build Mintel’s modern, agile, and scalable technology backbone.

Janine Crosbie, Mintel’s VP of Engineering and Belfast Site Lead, recently joined Stephen Turkington, Co-Founder at Search 5.0 for an inspiring conversation on the podcast Code Bytes. Janine discusses her career journey in the tech industry. Starting with a childhood fascination for engines and problem-solving, she shares how her passion led her to front-end web development, and eventually blossomed into becoming an exceptional engineering leader. Drawing from experiences at prestigious companies like IBM and Prudential Financial, as well as her current role at Mintel, Janine offers valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of her career.

From nurturing her team’s growth, to inspiring others to follow her leadership and giving back to the tech community, Janine’s journey is marked by remarkable achievements. However, it hasn’t always been a smooth ride. Tune in to hear how she overcame the challenges of being underestimated as a female in a male-dominated industry, and transformed it into an opportunity for personal growth and resilience. She shares valuable insights into the pressing challenges faced by the tech industry today, including cybersecurity threats, and the ongoing pursuit of diversity and gender equality.

This empowering conversation highlights the vital roles of leadership, mentorship, and community involvement in achieving lasting success in the dynamic world of tech. Watch it below, or listen here.

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Science & Environment

Constellation Energy to restart Three Mile Island and sell the power to Microsoft

Published

49 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Constellation Energy to restart Three Mile Island and sell the power to Microsoft

Norma Field walks under power lines coming off of the nuclear plant on Three Mile Island (TMI), with the operational plant run by Exelon Generation, in Middletown, Pennsylvania.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images

Constellation Energy plans to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant and will sell the power to Microsoft, the companies announced on Friday.

Constellation expects the Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island to come back online in 2028, subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Unit 1 ceased operations in 2019 because it could not compete economically. It is separate from the reactor that partially melted down in 1979 in the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.

Microsoft will purchase electricity from the plant to match the energy its data centers consume with carbon-free power. Constellation described the agreement with Microsoft as the largest power purchase agreement that the nuclear plant operator has ever signed.

Constellation stock jumped nearly 7% in early trading.

This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.

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Technology

Den of Thieves 2 brings back Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson for the ultimate heist

Published

53 mins ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Den of Thieves 2 brings back Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson for the ultimate heist

It’s been seven years since Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson) outsmarted Nicholas “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler) and escaped to London in Den of Thieves. Seven years later, the former enemies are teaming up for the ultimate heist in the sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.

“No one gets over on me,” Big Nick says as he recalls how Donnie pulled off robbing the Federal Reserve. Big Nick tracks Donnie down to his house and makes a surprise visit. Donnie pulls a gun out at the dinner table, but Big Nick quickly disarms his foe. To Donnie’s surprise, Big Nick is not here to arrest him. In Big Nick’s words, he’s “broke and sick of being the hunter.” His proposal: join Donnie on his next heist, robbing the World Diamond Center.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’s cast features Michael Bisping, Salvatore Esposito, Orli Shuka, Evin Ahmad, Cristian Solimeno, and Nazmiye Oral.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025) Official Trailer – Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is written and directed by Christian Gudegast, the filmmaker behind Den of Thieves. Released in 2018, Den of Thieves was a modest hit, grossing $80 million on a $30 million budget. It has since developed a cult following on cable and streaming. Gudegast also wrote London Has Fallen, with Butler reprising his role as Mike Banning.

Pantera’s producers include Butler, Tucker Tooley, Alan Siegel, and Mark Canton.

Butler continues to build a strong resume as Hollywood’s biggest B-movie action star. Butler has headlined three films in the Has Fallen franchise since 2013. Butler’s recent action films include Plane, Kandahar, Last Seen Alive, Copshop, and Greenland.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera opens in theaters on January 10, 2025.

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Technology

Samsung indirectly reveals Galaxy S24 FE & Tab S10 series launch date

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Samsung indirectly reveals Galaxy S24 FE & Tab S10 series launch date

Samsung has just indirectly revealed the Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 series launch date. Samsung Vietnam posted a video via its YouTube channel, and it’s actually quite revealing.

The Galaxy S24 FE & Tab S10 launch date has seemingly been revealed by Samsung

In that video, a September 20 event is mentioned, apparently something that is happening in Vietnam. In addition to that, however, September 26 is also mentioned, and a new smartphone teased too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNaZeQD66C0

Now, the device that is being teased has flat sides, which are made out of metal, and a flat display. A small part of it that we can see here does fit the Galaxy S24 FE’s design that we exclusively leaked.

We can assume that this is a confirmation of a press event, which is expected in 6 days. It’s a bit odd that Samsung didn’t openly confirm it just yet, however, as it’s happening less than a week from now.

The devices will seemingly become available on September 26 in Vietnam

This video also reveals that the mysterious smartphone will go on sale on September 26 at 10 PM in Vietnam. That translates to 5 PM CET / 11 AM EST / 8 AM PST.

It is worth noting that Samsung has already started taking blind pre-registrations for the Galaxy Tab S10 series in India. So, everything is pointing to a launch event next week, and this video basically confirmed it.

We’ve exclusively plenty of details regarding the Galaxy S24 FE, Galaxy Tab S10+, and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, the three devices that are coming. You can check out plenty of images of all three devices, not to mention some additional information, such as their specifications.

The Galaxy S24 FE will have flat sides this time around, but other than that will look very similar to its predecessor. The ‘Ultra’ tablet will have a notch on the display and thinner bezels than the Galaxy Tab S10+. The Galaxy Tab S10 is nowhere to be found at this point, and may not launch at all, we’ll see.

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Technology

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold/Flip 6: Upgrade or Skip?

Published

2 hours ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold/Flip 6: Upgrade or Skip?

Subscribe to the Innovation Insider Newsletter Catch up on the latest tech innovations that are changing the world, including IoT, 5G, the latest about phones, security, smart cities, AI, robotics, and more. Delivered Tuesdays and Fridays Email Address By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. …

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