distant galaxies , unlike galaxies they also tend to move around a lot , making it difficult to get a clear image . They also often live in warm environments where their body heat stands out less clearly , as was the case on the Bornean orangutan hunting expedition .
“ We would fly very early in the morning , before the sun had time to warm up the trees and the orangutans stood out beautifully ,” Longmore says . “ Being able to show that we could detect them , even in their native jungle , was something that made us really happy .”
The team is using the drones in Madagascar to support local conservationists in counting and monitoring the bamboo lemurs of Lac Alaotra . As well as being highly endangered , these are what ecologists call an “ indicator species ”— one whose population numbers reliably track the wider health of their habitat .
This makes them a critical metric for ecologists , as Wich points out , for whom the complex and dynamic nature of an ecosystem can make it difficult to distinguish between normal variation and changes that reflect the success or failure of a particular conservation strategy .
FROM OBSERVATION TO INTERVENTION Throughout the last 30 years , around 60 percent of the earth ’ s wildlife has disappeared , according to the World Wildlife Fund , placing humanity in the middle of the biggest extinction event since the end of the dinosaurs .
Improving the effectiveness of conservation work is imperative . But beyond merely helping assess current strategies , the astro-ecology team ’ s broader aim is to play an active role in animal protection . That ’ s why another goal of the Madagascar trip is to test the drones ’ ability to spot poachers , which would help park rangers intervene before animals are harmed . The project , which was delayed due to COVID-19 , will proceed once safe travel becomes possible again .
Poachers aren ’ t the only ecological threat that gives off heat . More recently , Longmore ’ s group has been testing the use of thermal imaging for the early detection of underground wildfires , common in much of Southeast Asia . These underground fires may burn undetected for weeks at a time , collectively contributing to as much as 3 percent of the world ’ s annual CO 2 emissions .
From Malagasy conservationists to Indonesian firefighters , multiple unexpected collaborations have sprung from one casual conversation over a backyard fence . But while Longmore acknowledges the role of serendipity in sparking unexpected partnerships , he also emphasizes it takes a willingness to explore multidisciplinary approaches — and to take on work outside your ordinary remit — to make these a success .
“ I love astrophysics and I ’ ll always be fascinated by the existential questions we try to solve , like , ‘ How did the universe begin ?’” he says . “ But it ’ s clear that we have serious issues here on Earth that need immediate solutions . I ’ m just grateful to be able to use my astrophysics background to make even a small difference in addressing these real-world problems .” ■
Hear the history of conservation in the “ Conservation : Next Generation Technology ” episode of the Trailblazers with Walter Isaacson podcast . DellTechnologies . com / Trailblazers
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