A new mission to find Amelia Earharts plane turns to AI for help
Technology failed the famed pilot, but 90 years later, it may find her final resting place.
Almost 90 years after Amelia Earhart's disappearance over the central Pacific Ocean, a new mission aims to find her plane using artificial intelligence (AI). The Purdue University team, featured on Good Morning America, arrived on Nikumaroro Island, home to flesh-eating crabs, to investigate a mysterious underwater shape in its lagoon known as the Taraia Object.
This time, AI was deployed to analyze historical theories and pinpoint a potential location for Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10-E. The algorithm, like human scientists, identified the same visual anomaly on satellite imagery years ago. While AI analyzed decades of speculation, it did not examine the ocean floor directly. Instead, AI synthesized decades of human theories.
However, AI is becoming an essential tool for modern treasure hunters and maritime archaeologists as it steps out of science fiction and aids in the deep-sea exploration. With up to 3 million undiscovered shipwrecks and downed aircraft in the ocean, AI helps by spotting anomalies directly on the ocean floor, reducing human review time and minimizing errors.
The U.S. Navy and NOAA recently tested an AI predictive model and found it to be 92% accurate in identifying known shipwreck sites, demonstrating its potential to shrink massive search areas.
Written by urgent.news from Mashable's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
