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5G smart highway project to launch in Hubei

A 5G smart highway project will soon launch in Hubei province and tests are already underway. The project is characterized by the integration of cloud computing, big data, the internet of things, artificial intelligence and other next-generation internet technologies. When completed, it will reflect an accurate perception of highways in real time, monitor each vehicle and predict traffic flow.

The science of Japan’s cherry blossom forecast

As spring approaches in Japan, the country’s weather forecasters face one of their biggest missions of the year: predicting exactly when the cherry blossoms will bloom. In a bid to improve its forecasts, some companies have started crowdsourcing data, including Weathernews, a company in Chiba near Tokyo. It relies on photos of buds sent in regularly by 10,000 citizens across the country who are registered on the company’s website and app.

WHO says 1.1 billion people at risk of hearing loss

Nearly 50 percent of people ages 12 to 35 — or 1.1 billion people — are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud sounds, including music they listen to on personal audio devices. Ahead of World Hearing Day, which falls on March 3, the World Health Organization and the International Telecommunication Union have issued a standard for the manufacture and use of the devices.