You’re reading The Brazilian Report‘s weekly tech roundup, a digest of the most important news on technology and innovation in Brazil. This week’s topics: NASA to use a Brazilian-led weather model. Facebook moves to stimulate STEM professionals in Brazil. The success of Locaweb’s IPO.
NASA adopts Brazilian weather forecast model
The U.S. space agency NASA has replaced its weather forecast system NASA Geos with one created by a team led by Brazilian physicist Saulo Freitas, of the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe). It took three years for the system to be developed—and it earned Mr. Freitas NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal.
What interested NASA. Mr. Freitas’ system analyzes cloud formation, water drops, and rain itself, being 10 to 30 percent more accurate than its counterparts, especially for short-term forecasts.
Why it matters. It will be useful for agriculture, helping to plan the planting and harvesting of crops, as well as preventing environmental disasters in urban centers.
No interest. There is reportedly no date for the system to be adopted in Brazil. Under the Jair Bolsonaro administration, Inpe has been kicked into touch, with the president challenging the reliability of the data generated by the institute, after it reported a steep increase in deforestation rates last year.
Facebook to increase tech-training goals in Brazil
Tech giant Facebook intends to educate 50,000 Brazilian youngsters in programming courses in 2020, nearly doubling the number of people that...
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