Can machine learning reveal geology humans can't see?

Identifying geological features in a densely vegetated, steep, and rough terrain can be almost impossible. Imagery like LiDAR can help researchers see through the tree cover, but subtle landforms can often be missed by the human eye. Now, a team of scientists has tapped into the power of machine learning to identify hidden geologic features. Specifically, the scientists are identifying previously unidentified cave entrances that are difficult to see in imagery, and hard to access on the ground. Leila Donn, a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin and lead author of the new research, is presenting the results of her research on Sunday at The Geological Society of America's Annual Meeting in Phoenix.