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S T E M I N C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Computers at SATIDA collected data that included estimates of rainfall, land surface temperature, soil moisture, and vegetation health to create this map of Ethiopia.

satellites for mapping and earthquake research. The financial services industry uses GPS time signals to help move money electronically.Hikers, cyclists, and other athletes use GPS signals to record workouts and distances traveled. Of course, GPS can also be used to geo-tag photos. While there are lots of fun and productive ways to use your smartphone’sGPS technology,scientists fromtheViennaUniversity of Technology are using it in trying to end famine. The process begins with GPS scans of the Earth’s surface in areas likely to have drought and famine, such as the Central African Republic. Microwave beams,which are a formof radiation like radio waves,