Banking on Big Data -- Environmental Protection

Sophisticated tools capable of collecting and analyzing massive data sets and then displaying the results in visual form are no longer an option. They are becoming a necessity. On a daily basis, thousands upon thousands of monitoring stations around the world collect vast quantities of air quality data for use in spotting pollution problems, analyzing air quality trends, and guiding effective responses. To date, these monitoring stations have served as digital eyes and ears trained on the planet's atmosphere. But all of that seems likely to change in the not-too-distant future as evolving networks of air sensors that are just now beginning to be deployed around the globe result in an avalanche of data, all of which has the very real potential to overwhelm those trying to make sense of it.