Jennifer Griffin takes us back through the history of US-Vietnam relations. Researchers at Ohio State University are using satellite images and sophisticated artificial intelligence technology to search for unexploded bombs from the Vietnam War. The technology already has been used to survey Vietnam War-era bomb craters in Cambodia. "The new method increased true bomb crater detection by more than 160 percent over standard methods," researchers explain in a statement. "The model, combined with declassified U.S. military records, suggests that 44 to 50 percent of the bombs in the area studied may remain unexploded."

Big data and artificial intelligence offer new ways to solve age-old problems, such as how to feed a growing population. Under our Grand Challenge program, RTI is funding research and analysis based on these technologies to promote agricultural resilience and food security in Rwanda. Most of Rwanda's crop production comes from smallholder farms. The country's agriculture officials have historically had insufficient data on where crops are cultivated or how much yield to expect--a hindrance when planning for the future of their growing country. The government is looking to technology for a solution. Building on our previous work with emerging technologies, machine learning, economics, and agriculture, we are developing a new decision-making tool that can be applied in Rwanda and beyond.