This is what your house looks like on climate change: AI-fuelled site predicts the future
What would your neighbourhood look like underwater if a flash flood hit, like the one in Brooklyn in 2013?
What if a fire ripped through your community like one did in Lytton, B.C. this summer?
A site using artificial intelligence has found a way to visualize the effects of climate change in any location from Google Maps streetview.
Sasha Luccioni was working as an applied research scientist two-and-a-half years ago and wanted to put her money where her mouth to fight climate change.
"I quit my job and I convinced Yoshua Bengio, my supervisor, to take me on as a postdoc at Mila, which is the Quebec Research Institute for AI," she said. "The project that he had come up with at the time was using artificial intelligence to visualize the consequences of climate change, the potential impacts of climate change and so I joined on that project and we're working on it to us."
The result is "This Climate Does Not Exist," a website where visitors can input their address, which is transformed by flood, wildfire or smog using a simulator.
The name of the site reflects the team's desire to "emphasize that climate change is having dire consequences all around the world right now, even if you aren’t experiencing it in your own backyard."
Responses to the simulator have ranged from skepticism to excitement at its usefulness, said Luccioni.
"I am here to say, our house is on fire," said Greta Thunberg in 2019. The team at Mila wanted to produce an example of what that might literally look like.
"We're not saying your house is on fire, but the planet is on fire and the thing is, that when these extreme events happen, they're always far away and so, people always ask. Like, it's not a problem but eventually it is going to be," said Luccioni. "When it is going to be (a problem), it's going to be too late, so there's this gap between when we can take action and when we're going to be impacted."
The team is now working with a researcher in psychology that will help assess the psychological impacts of major impacts such as floods and fires. In addition, Mila is investigating what type of actions individuals and organizations are liable to take once a flood happens and what support can be offered.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Jury selection in Trump hush money trial faces pivotal stretch as former U.S. president returns to court
Jury selection in the hush money trial of Donald Trump enters a pivotal and potentially final stretch Thursday as lawyers look to round out the panel of New Yorkers that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former president.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.