For approximately 80% of the world’s population^[1], the first stop after catching a cold or breaking a bone isn’t the hospital — maybe because there isn’t one nearby, or they can’t afford it. Instead, the first step is consulting traditional medicine, which cultures around the world have been using for thousands of years.

Are democratic societies ready for a future in which AI algorithmically assigns limited supplies^[1] of respirators or hospital beds during pandemics? Or one in which AI fuels an arms race^[2] between disinformation creation and detection? Or sways court decisions with amicus briefs written to mimic the rhetorical and argumentative styles of Supreme Court justices?

Heart in your throat. Butterflies in your stomach. Bad gut feeling. These are all phrases many people use to describe fear and anxiety. You have likely felt anxiety inside your chest or stomach, and your brain usually doesn’t hurt when you’re scared. Many cultures tie cowardice and bravery more to the heart^[1] or the guts^[2] than to the brain.

With record-breaking temperatures^[1] across the South, smoke from Canadian wildfires^[2] across the North, historic flooding^[3] in the Northeast and a powerful hurricane in the Southeast^[4], the summer of 2023^[5] has presented a range of threats to the safety of the majority of Americans. The good news, through all of this: Geospatial intelligence^[6] has offered valuable insights to help governments and organizations protect communities.

Geospatial intelligence is the collection and integration of data from a network of technologies, including satellites, mobile sensors, ground-control stations and aerial images. The data is used to produce real-time maps^[7] and simulations to help identify when, where and to what extent a threat is likely to emerge. Government officials, individuals or both can use this information to make informed decisions^[8].

Disasters sudden and slow

One long-standing contribution of geospatial intelligence is in emergency preparedness and response. For example, the National Hurricane Center^[9] actively monitors the location, formation and trajectory of tropical cyclones. Detailed information on the timing, location and strength of a given hurricane helps officials distribute resources and personnel, as well as issue storm warnings and evacuation orders.

Geospatial intelligence also provides valuable guidance for search-and-rescue and recovery efforts following a disaster. For example, in the immediate aftermath of the February 2023 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria^[10], maps and aerial images quickly identified the extent of damage and the populations affected. In addition, they helped first responders locate access points in the transportation network to rescue survivors, set up aid stations and provide emergency supplies.

Another use of geospatial intelligence is environmental monitoring. A stable environment is essential for human health and security. Monitoring temperature, precipitation, snowpack and polar ice^[12] helps scientists and government officials anticipate and prepare for potential disturbances.

For instance, understanding temperature profiles^[13] – past, current and forecasted temperatures over an area – provides information on when, where and to what extent that area is likely to be affected by events such as heat waves. Heat waves often result in human suffering^[14], increased energy demands and crop damage^[15]. With climate change intensifying extreme weather events, there is likely to be a corresponding increase in threats to human safety and security.

Military and civilian logistics

The Russian-Ukraine war is another area where geospatial intelligence has made contributions. Maxar Technologies, a commercial satellite imagery company, was the first to report the 40-mile-long convoy of Russian ground forces^[16] heading toward Kyiv in February 2022.

While governments historically could choose whether to release intelligence-related information, commercial satellite companies now play a vital role in providing this type of information to the public. In this way, geospatial intelligence represents an extension of the free press.

Another use of geospatial intelligence is in transportation, logistics and global supply chains^[17]. The global economy runs on GPS, which generates spatial data. GPS provides governments, businesses and people with detailed information on the time, location and destination of ships and cargo. This leads to greater efficiency and more consistent and reliable operations.

Geospatial intelligence is also helping with the rollout of autonomous vehicles^[18]. Using high-resolution imagery of about a foot (30 cm) per pixel, city planners and engineers are able to detect markings and features on the ground such as bicycle lanes and traffic direction. These advances help planners build safer, smarter, more efficient and better connected communities.

Yet another use of geospatial intelligence is contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of digital twins^[19]. Digital twins are virtual representations of real systems – buildings or cities, for example – that mimic the systems’ characteristics and can be updated in real time to reflect changing conditions in the systems.

Digital twins are being used in many civilian and military settings to improve decision making. They are useful for modeling changes and predicting outcomes. Digital twins have been highly effective in conflict settings by simulating weather and terrain^[20] to help militaries and peacekeepers develop and enact strategies.

Growing need

The need for geospatial intelligence is more important than ever. Average temperature is projected to increase between 2 to 9.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 to 5.4 degrees Celsius)^[21] by the end of the century. The global population is expected to reach 11 billion by 2100^[22], and urban areas are becoming denser and more prone to disasters. Whether reconstructing the past, describing the present or anticipating the future, geospatial intelligence provides valuable information to help keep people and communities safe.

Not surprisingly, the geospatial intelligence industry is projected to grow from a US$61 billion enterprise in 2020 to more than $209 billion in 2030^[23]. The world is rapidly transforming, and geospatial intelligence is positioned to play an increasingly important role in working toward a safe, stable and informed future^[24].

Curious Kids^[1] is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.^[2]. How do the green-and-blue flies find stinky garbage dumpsters during the summer heat? Joey, 10, Wausau, Wisconsin How is it that a fly always seems to be buzzing around your food moments after you sit down for an outdoor meal?The answer is practice. Or, more specifically: evolution. Flies and other insects have been on a multimillion-year journey of evolution, honing their ability to detect food. Being able to zero in on nutritious meals is a matter of life and death. The family of flies that I study^[3] – the blow flies – are the buzzing ones that are usually a beautiful metallic blue, with bronze and green colors. They’ve perfected their ability to quickly sense the smells that naturally come off picnics and trash cans because they are a source of food for their offspring, also known as maggots^[4]. There is a lot of competition for a resource like an overflowing dumpster because of how nutritious garbage, and the meat that is rotting in it, is. But the blow flies can sense these odors long before their competitors or people can, and tend to show up to the scene first^[5].

Flies’ antennae help them track down food from far distances. ViniSouza128/iStock via Getty Images^[6] How do flies know where to go?Sensing systems differ depending on the insect and species. The blow flies’ main sensing organ is their antennae^[7], two thin projections from the head that are covered in tiny hairs. These fine hairs are made up of special cells that contain receptors for specific odors^[8]. Think about a batch of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven. You can detect their delicious scent because we humans have receptors on the surfaces of the cells that line the inside of our noses. These receptors send signals to the brain: yummy food ahead. They’re detecting the sweet smell of sugar-based molecules, an energy-rich food source for us. What’s a “good” or a “bad” odor can differ depending on the animal doing the smelling. The enticing rotting meat stench that a fly finds delightful is perceived quite differently by a person passing by a stinking dumpster on a hot day.But any fly that can detect the useful odor signal, which means “nutritious fly food here,” will have an advantage. Over time, the insects that have the receptors for those scents will have better survival rates and produce more offspring.Not all smells are good, though, and being able to smell something bad can also protect whoever is sniffing it – whether that’s you or an insect. Think of the skunk spray warning smell. It won’t necessarily harm you, but it lets you know to avoid its source.

Flies can sense odors long before humans and their competitors can. Boris SV/Moment via Getty Images^[9] Providing for offspringFor more than 15 years, I’ve traveled to different parts of the world, where I expose rotten meat and wait for flies to appear^[10]. My research is related to understanding how an environment influences a fly’s ability to search for and find its food source, its sole purpose of living. For example, flies rely on wind to carry scents across varying environments. Warmer temperatures promote fly activity because they’re poikilothermic^[11] – meaning cold-blooded – and need heat to warm up their muscles for flight. Flies use visual cues^[12] to fly through the air and to avoid obstacles, so they’re more active during the daytime.Blow flies can travel up to 28 miles for food^[13]. Most of the time when I expose a stinky rotten meat bait, a large group of flies will come right away^[14]. But other times I’m surprised when no flies come to enjoy the gross buffet I’ve prepared.When a female fly smells something that might be a good food source for her babies, she lands on it and assesses whether there’s enough to support her 400 or so eggs. A mom fly’s ability to smell out a good nursery for her offspring is the key to the survival of the species and ultimately why this sense is so strong. Male flies are less interested in these smells as a sign of food. But since they can signal where to find female flies for mating, males will still respond to the scent of a steaming dumpster.Flies have evolved to be superior garbage-smellers because this superpower helps them survive. The reason they manage to find dumpsters wherever they exist is the same reason they’ll show up to your picnic to check what’s on the menu – they’re sniffing for sustenance that will help them create the next generation of flies. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.^[15]. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.