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Building Trees in the Metaverse Might Actually Save the Forest

Teresa Carey

August 02, 2020 |

Freethink |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Southern Pines, North Carolina

By building scientifically accurate virtual tress, NatureXR is providing an opportunity for scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to use virtual reality to understand ecosystems and model conservation impacts. Creating an authentic 3D-version of a tree can be challenging, but by developing a “procedural” tree, the software can generate a forest of trees that are unique, accurate, and realistic. VR nature can also make the environment accessible for people who might not be able to experience it due to disabilities, distance, or even fear.

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Some hospitals are tracking Covid-19 by adding sensors to employees' badges

Christina Farr

August 02, 2020 |

CNBC |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Illinois

SwipeSense is a monitoring technology adapted to track people’s movements as a form of contact tracing for Covid-19 in hospitals. Staff wear the device while at work, which uses sensors and location beacons to track movements, and when a positive Covid-19 test arises the hospital can quickly identify and quarantine those exposed to limit further spread. After adopting the device, and combined with other sanitation strategies, an Illinois hospital's staff infection rate dropped from 17% in March to less than 1% in June. Some have expressed privacy and security concerns with monitoring people’s movements.

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How Libraries Stretch Their Capabilities to Serve Kids During a Pandemic

Holly Korbey

July 31, 2020 |

KQED |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Summer, which is usually the busiest season for libraries around the United States, brought with it challenges due to the pandemic, but resourceful librarians innovated ways to connect with their most valuable patrons. In Chattanooga, Tennessee librarians recorded what would have been an in-person craft lesson and posted it on their YouTube channel. In St. Louis, Missouri, the public library loaned out Chromebooks and hot spots to families to increase accessibility to virtual programming. While the pandemic poses limitations, librarians are seizing the opportunity to try new things and keep students engaged.

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Bringing light to the news, for those who can't hear it

Jingnan Peng

July 31, 2020 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Michigan

The Daily Moth is a daily online news channel devoted to the news accessible to the deaf community. Recently, the channel's focus is on stories about Covid-19 and the fight for racial justice. The programming elevates the perspective of deaf individuals, from deaf first responders to deaf victims of police violence. The channel provides American Sign Language interpretation of news stories, accurate captions, and uses colors and backdrops that make it fully accessible. Securing funding has been a struggle for the channel, but it continues to deliver potentially lifesaving news to the deaf community.

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Black voter mobilization efforts begin to bear fruit

Megan Botel Isaiah Murtaugh

July 29, 2020 |

Los Angeles Times |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Georgia

HeadCount, a voter mobilization group, held registration drives at concerts and other events and collaborated with celebrities, music industry leaders, and athletes to form March on Ballot Boxes (M.O.B.B.), an informal coalition harnessing the activism of the Black Lives Matters movement. They provided voter registration tools such as text messaging and QR codes, which protesters could print and display on their signs. They also partnered with Atlantic Records to launch ATL Votes, a digital registration campaign aimed at young voters. They registered over ten times as many new voters in 2020 than in 2016.

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As Prisons Cancel Visitation, The Phone Line Becomes A Life Line

Amanda Peacher

July 27, 2020 |

Boise State Public Radio (KBSX) |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Utah

To alleviate the isolating effects of COVID-19 restrictions in prisons barring outside visitors, some prisons have encouraged phone and video contact with family by waiving the fees normally charged for such services. In Utah, the first 10 calls per week are free. Federal prisons have waived the charges entirely. Maintaining healthy family relationships has been shown to relieve prisoners' loneliness and anxiety, which equates to better behavior. And it reduces future lawbreaking by strengthening bonds that help in finding housing and jobs once the prisoners are released.

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Could carbon-removal tech make travel more sustainable?

Sarah Reid

July 27, 2020 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Iceland

Climeworks, a Swiss start-up, is using technology to suck carbon out of the air and turning it into stone, essentially cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere permanently. Their plant in Iceland is able to turn 50 tonnes of carbon to stone per year. While that amount of carbon won’t solve the climate crisis, they are expanding their work to other countries and are launching a personal carbon removal subscription service as a way for the travel industry to help offset the carbon that they emit each year.

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India's tribal farmers tap solar irrigation to cut migration

Soumya Sarkar

July 27, 2020 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Jharkhand

New solar-powered irrigation systems in the Chotanagpur Plateau region in India are giving farmers more dependable water and allowing them to diversify their crops, allowing them to also grow their income. Many farmers from a local village used to migrate to other places to search for work, but a new irrigation system has allowed them to grow cauliflower for a competitive price. While the cost of buying and installing a solar-powered irrigation system can be high, this form of irrigation could be more climate-friendly and help stabilize crop production.

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Technology Works Behind the Scenes to Keep US Mail-in Voting Secure

Michelle Quinn

July 27, 2020 |

Voice of America (VOA) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

With many more people are voting by mail in the 2020 presidential election, technology is helping to make sure ballots are counted and that voters are informed. Although the system is not perfect, it does allow for voters to follow the progress of their ballot to see if there may have been a problem at some point during the process.

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‘Drive-in' Mass in parking lot feeds faith, fellowship, despite sudden storm

Maudlyne Ihejirika

July 26, 2020 |

Chicago Sun-Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Parishioners are reunited for worship again in one Chicago church's parking lot with a "drive-in Mass." The Catholic congregation tuned into a radio station to hear the priest from their cars while lined up in rows to receive communion. Members of the church have been able to join in for online services since the health crisis began, but they missed the physical ritual of Communion.

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