NASA and USAID pioneer the use of space technologies for development efforts

Are rocks the answer to decreasing the scale of carbon dioxide production across the world? These scientists think so - or at least that these rocks have the potential to play a part in this mission. Carbon mineralization, a process unique to peridotite rocks found primarily in Oman but also in California, Papua New Guinea, Albania and a few other locations, could help combat climate change if the acceleration and scaling processes can be determined.

Solar-powered cold storage units operated through Farmer Producer Organizations in India have reduced post-harvest losses from as high as one-third of crops to minimal levels. This enables smallholder farmers to save on storage and transportation costs while gaining control over when to sell their produce at better prices.

The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) trains local communities to create and use open-source maps with low-cost tools like drones and mobile apps, enabling them to prepare for and respond to climate disasters. Firefighters used the maps to prevent casualties during a 2021 wildfire in Argentina, and in Kenya maps were used to secure World Bank funding for flood infrastructure improvements.

Indonesian villagers were experiencing water shortages as natural springs started to dry up in part due to climate change, so they installed infiltration wells to collect and absorb rainwater. Not everyone, at first, wanted to implement the wells on their property, but by 2020, there were 320 infiltration wells in Patemon village. This water conservation project is not being implemented throughout the rest of the country.

Using AI technology, home address data, and algorithms, the Metro21 Institute at Carnegie Mellon was able to find the best school bus routes to deliver school meals to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The solution wouldn’t have worked with the help of a community of partners, leaders, and volunteers. “It truly has taken a village.”

After learning that the U.S. would likely face a shortage of ventilators during the coronavirus pandemic, a group of "scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, physicians and regulatory experts" collaborated to design an automatic resuscitator that can be used to help "less critically ill patients." The streamlined creation comes with an affordable price tag, making it more scalable for use in rural areas or less developed regions, and has also been approved by the F.D.A. for use in hospitals.

To address a shortage of personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic, community members have begun to take on the task of producing face masks for medical professionals. From sewing masks to creating face shields with a 3D printer at a local library, communities are organizing and organizations are partnering to, at least temporarily, solve the problem.

Training refugees in digital skills provides them with a path toward self sufficiency. A pilot program developed with the UN World Food Program and the American University in Beirut offers computer literacy and English courses to Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. The approach aims to reduce reliance on food relief and empower individuals to find employment with new skills.

A collaboration between England’s Loughborough University, the UK’s Ministry of Defence, and a company called Foster + Freeman has led to a new technology that can pull fingerprints from shell casings. What was once a nearly impossible task, is showing promise, as police departments across the United States try out the new technology. That said, there are still some questions about its efficacy and ability to stand up as evidence in court.

Early warning systems allow communities to implement effective disaster preparedness. The Uganda National Integrated Early Warning System (U-NIEWS), disseminates forecasts—ranging from weather patterns to market prices for crops—in a bulletin. Data is collected across the country and bulletins go out on a national level, disseminated by local stakeholders through WhatsApp, radio, and other media.