In its place, a technological and AI revolution is under way, involving thermal cameras, soil microphones, drones, eDNA, acoustic recorders, remote-sensing satellites, infrared sensors and machine-learning algorithms. From the soundscape alone, the AI could predict indicators such as habitat quality and biodiversity. Across 200 field sites in Ireland, she mapped the relationship between soil geochemistry and biodiversity. Drones with thermal imaging can auto-classify habitats, and bat detectors record calls and images that a software programme can identify by species and number. During a recent bat survey, Speer recorded 47 hours of footage and used AI to extract the relevant clips.

Source: The Irish Times February 28, 2026 09:02 UTC