Electronic stickers turn forests into living fire alarms

Photo caption: Reminder never leave campfire unattended – June 18, 2015. Photo credit: Intermountain Region US Forest Service via Flickr. PDM 1.0. Article by Bronwyn Thompson. Refractor – May 29, 2026. Research article: Science Advances.

No matter what we throw at fire detection, from drones to advanced prediction models and watch towers, predicting when and where blazes will start remains challenging. And not all fires are created equal. Scientists from South Korea’s Hanyang University have taken a new approach, creating an electronic sticker that attaches to a variety of surfaces including tree bark to transmit continuous data via Bluetooth. It doesn’t just detect the point of ignition but can identify the different kinds of fires, helping first responders tackle fires faster and smarter. […]

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Curated by Theresa Wysocki

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