Nature's Internet
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Nature is inspiring, serene and peaceful . . . until it’s not. The beauty of nature can quickly turn dangerous – and the way we live on planet Earth keeps raising the risks.
Wouldn’t it be great if nature could warn us about those risks in time to help? Well, it can – thanks to a technology that is out of this world.
Our planet is vulnerable in ways we never imagined a few decades ago – and satellite has answers.
Detecting Dangers in Time to Help
Sewer systems designed decades ago can overflow in heavy rain, pouring raw sewage into surrounding waters. Detectors connected by satellite provide operators with critical real-time data to identify overflows so they can be stopped.
Out to sea, autonomous vessels are roaming the oceans. They gather weather data, identify illegal fishing and watch for signs of climate change. The information they gain is vital to science, to the environment and our safety. Robots also roam beneath the waves. They are called autonomous underwater vehicles, and they monitor the health of the oceans, map the sea floor and search for wreckage. And how does all this data get from the oceans to the land? By satellite.
But while protecting the health of the seas, we sometimes need protection of our own. Many beaches are equipped with buoys to catch sharks that might threaten swimmers. Each buoy dangles a baited hook in the water for sharks to bite. Years ago, the sharks were left to die. But now a generation of “smart buoys” send alerts by satellite that let responders free the sharks and move them far from shore.
Deep in forests, sensors monitor weather and soil for conditions that lead to wildfires. Transmitted by satellite, the data can trigger warnings of danger ahead. And if wildfires do break out, firefighters depend on their satellite phones to coordinate action and call for reinforcements.
Iridium Satellites Send Us Warnings Back on Earth
Far above, in space, satellites are protecting our communications and electric grids. Our planet is constantly bathed in a stream of charged particles from the sun. Most of the time, the Earth’s magnetic field shields us. But big solar flares can let those charged particles blast into our atmosphere. We avoid damage most of the time thanks to warnings from orbiting satellites.
These services – and many more – come from a satellite company called Iridium. Its constellation of interconnected satellites circle the Earth to provide voice communications and bring the Internet of Things to every corner of the globe, saving lives, saving species and helping keep our world sustainable. Thanks to companies like Iridium, the Internet of Things can reach as deep into nature as it does into our daily lives.
