Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Element 84 @element84.com · 12d

Sending a huge THANK YOU to Geospatial Risk and Priscilla Cole for hosting such an impactful #ClimateWeek2025 event, and for creating space for important conversations surrounding the connection between climate, open data, and risk.

Continue the convo: element84.com/geospatial/m...

Element 84 @element84.com · 14d

#ClimateWeekNYC is flying by! A highlight so far: yesterday's Scaling AI for Climate Innovation panel.

We loved the nuanced discussion surrounding when to use AI, and when to take a step back for the sake of the planet.

More info: luma.com/32njgsg3?tk=...

1

Element 84 @element84.com · 15d

We're excited to share the latest from E84's own, Jarrett Keifer, on the @cloudnativegeo.org blog!

Jarrett's work on the Coalesced Chunk Retrieval Protocol launches a community initiative designed to reconsider & strengthen what it means to be Cloud Native.

cloudnativegeo.org/blog/2025/09...

Redefining cloud native with the Coalesced Chunk Retrieval Protocol

What happens if we question current assumptions around CNG and imagine what it could be if we were to redefine it with new technologies? The Coalesced Chunk Retrieval Protocol (CCRP) is one idea born ...

cloudnativegeo.org

1 2

Element 84 @element84.com · Aug 11

Julia and Jarrett's recent 2-part blog series, Chunks and Chunkability, was featured in the latest Big Geodata Newsletter!

Check out the full newsletter ⬇️ 🗞️ (...and don't forget to catch up on the full series on our blog while you're at it!)
www.itc.nl/about-itc/ce...

Issue 2025/08 | Home ITC

www.itc.nl

1

Element 84 @element84.com · Aug 6

"We need better documentation to help data producers make better decisions."

In our latest blog we share an overview of compression: what is it, and what concerns exist around compression in the industry?

Check it out: element84.com/software-eng...

Beyond the default: a modern guide to raster compression • Element 84

We discuss community concerns surrounding raster compression and key metrics for evaluating compression effectiveness.

element84.com

1

Reposted by Element 84

ESIP - Earth Science Information Partners @esipfed.bsky.social · Aug 1

📚 What we're reading: Introducing Natural Language Geocoding v0.1.0: An LLM-Enabled Geocoding Database, by Jason Gilman at @element84.com.

Learn about an #opensource Python library and geocoding database that converts natural language descriptions of areas on Earth into precise geometry.

Introducing Natural Language Geocoding v0.1.0: An LLM-Enabled Geocoding Database • Element 84

We discuss Natural Language Geocoding v0.1.0 and progress with LLM-geocoding databases more generally.

element84.com

3 4

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 31

Updates include:
🚀 Why We Moved Beyond Nominatim
📇 The New Geocoding Index
🧠 Intelligent Place Resolution
🧩 Composed Places and Custom Locations
+ More!!

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 31

We're excited to introduce our LLM-Enabled Geocoding Database, Natural Language Geocoding v0.1.0!! 🚀🧠🧩

Since releasing the initial ideas surrounding Natural Language Geocoding in 2024 we've put a lot of thought into evolving the project:
element84.com/machine-lear...

Introducing Natural Language Geocoding v0.1.0: An LLM-Enabled Geocoding Database • Element 84

We discuss Natural Language Geocoding v0.1.0 and progress with LLM-geocoding databases more generally.

element84.com

1 4

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 28

There's no better way to ease into the week after the Summer ESIP meeting than with this morning's latest @esipfed.bsky.social newsletter! 📬

The newsletter spotlights a recent video from @jasongilman.bsky.social discussing Reliability in AI

Full newsletter: mailchi.mp/esipfed/esip...

ESIP Update: New ESIP Board & ESIP Lab RFP

mailchi.mp

2 2

Reposted by Element 84

ESIP - Earth Science Information Partners @esipfed.bsky.social · Jul 28

What an awesome week! Thanks @element84.com for coming out and also for being our Sustainability Sponsor for the meeting.

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 25

As we wrap up in Seattle, some of our @esipfed.bsky.social meeting discussion highlights include:

📦 The importance of cutting back storage & egress costs
📁 The continued push to work directly WITH files
🤖 How to maximize UX potential in AI
☁️ & of course, all things cloud native!

1 2

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 25

Meanwhile, our E84 team gave a handful of impactful talks focused on everything from current and emerging geospatial search tech, to natural language geocoding, to open source storytelling, to designing AI interfaces for climate data!

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 25

As we wrap up in Seattle, some of our @esipfed.bsky.social meeting discussion highlights include:

📦 The importance of cutting back storage & egress costs
📁 The continued push to work directly WITH files
🤖 How to maximize UX potential in AI
☁️ & of course, all things cloud native!

1 1

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 21

It's not a regular Monday, IT'S ESIP WEEK!!!! 🥁 🥳

Our team is on the way to Seattle for the 2025 Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Summer meeting, and we're looking forward to connecting with everyone there.

Check out the full agenda: 2025julyesipmeeting.sched.com

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 16

Our geospatial tech radar edits are in full swing! The E84 team is participating in a series of mini hackathons to make this year's edition the most comprehensive radar yet.

If there's anything you want to make sure we don't miss, make your voice heard:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Gathering insight for the 2025 E84 Geospatial Tech Radar!

In 2023 we launched a Geospatial Tech Radar (2023 version, 2024 version) with the goal of highlighting industry achievements, while functioning as a knowledge sharing platform for the geospatial commu...

docs.google.com

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 11

Headed to the ESRI User Conference #UC25? Catherine will be in San Diego next week, and she's looking forward to connecting with everyone there. Let us know which sessions you're looking forward to most!

Check out the full agenda: uc2025.esri.com/flow/esri/25...

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 10

Read both blogs to follow Julia & Jarrett's journey to understanding chunking more deeply including where we are today, how we got here, what we’ve gained and lost along the way, and where we might want to consider going from here.

Part 2: element84.com/software-eng...

Chunks and Chunkability: An Origin Story • Element 84

We explore the history of different data formats, consider file abstraction, and discuss potential remedies for these concerns.

element84.com

2

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 10

Our latest deep-dive series is live now on the blog! 🗞️💡 Check out Chunks and Chunkability (parts one and two) now.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged in cloud native geospatial that data formats must be chunked."

Part One: element84.com/software-eng...

Chunks and Chunkability: Tyranny of the Chunk • Element 84

We discuss our attempt to understand chunks and chunking more deeply including where we are today and where we might go from here.

element84.com

1 1

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 3

If you want to get first access to our next quarterly newsletter and future communications from our team, sign up here: element84.com/community/ne...

Newsletter Sign-up • Element 84

(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new

element84.com

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 3

Before we officially head into the holiday weekend, we wanted to share the latest and greatest coming out of E84! 📬

If you didn't get the newsletter directly to your inbox this week, check it out here: mailchi.mp/305cc68ac14b...

1

Element 84 @element84.com · Jul 3

Facilitating sustainability in our work is crucial to our team and we are huge fans of the ESIP effort in general.

We're excited and honored to support this year's ESIP Summer meeting as Sustainability Sponsors!

ESIP - Earth Science Information Partners @esipfed.bsky.social · Jul 3

ESIP is all about fostering collaboration & advancing critical Earth science data initiatives.

We could not put on our in-person meeting without our amazing sponsors.

🙏 A huge thank you to this year's Sustainability Sponsor - @element84.com

Read ➡️ Sustainable ESIP Meetings: tinyurl.com/yras5k8f

1

Reposted by Element 84

Kit Macleod @kitmacleod.bsky.social · Jul 2

"Aravind Ravichandran summarized after his successful EO Summit conference in New York, 'Too much of the EO ecosystem still builds for users, not with them. The result: technically sophisticated tools that miss real-world workflows, decision cycles, and data literacy levels.'"

Element 84 @element84.com · Jun 30

This Spring & Summer we've been on a (not so) secret mission: we spent time connecting with folks at conferences to hear from data consumers and producers abt the largest gaps in Earth Observation.

We synthesized some of those conversations on our blog: element84.com/geospatial/p...

Perceived Gaps in Earth Observation • Element 84

We’ve made an effort to connect with the community to distill the biggest perceived gaps in Earth Observation data and the EO field more generally.

element84.com

1 1

Element 84 @element84.com · Jun 30

This Spring & Summer we've been on a (not so) secret mission: we spent time connecting with folks at conferences to hear from data consumers and producers abt the largest gaps in Earth Observation.

We synthesized some of those conversations on our blog: element84.com/geospatial/p...

Perceived Gaps in Earth Observation • Element 84

We’ve made an effort to connect with the community to distill the biggest perceived gaps in Earth Observation data and the EO field more generally.

element84.com

3

Element 84 @element84.com · Jun 23

🔥🌡️With large portions of the US (+ beyond) experiencing an early-summer heatwave and wildfire season in full swing, we're reflecting on the importance of clear and accessible wildfire data.

EO data is crucial when it comes to wildfire preparedness & mitigation.
element84.com/projects/ref...

Refining the Wildfire Risk to Communities Application through Improved Design and Functionality • Element 84

We describe our work on wildfirerisk.org to make wildfire risk data available for free in an easy-to-access format.

element84.com

1

Element 84 @element84.com · Jun 20

We're still reliving our time at #CNG2025 -- if you're in the same boat, or if you want to check out the presentations for the first time, the recordings are live now on Youtube!

Don't miss Julia's talk about STAC + Zarr, & you can find more info on our blog: element84.com/software-eng...

2 1

Element 84 @element84.com · Jun 16

Did you get a chance to read our latest white paper: The Case for a Centralized Earth Observation Vector Embeddings Catalog?

In this blog we cover why we're so excited about this topic, and what makes it particularly relevant now: element84.com/machine-lear...

Why We’re Talking About a Centralized Vector Embeddings Catalog Now • Element 84

We discuss our detailed white paper in which we make the case for how Earth Observation (EO) data providers such as NASA can dramatically improve access to their data by creating a centralized vector ...

element84.com

1