Stanford researchers have developed a new tool called SandAI, powered by artificial intelligence, that can study quartz sand grains and reveal their history. This tool helps scientists understand if wind, water, glaciers, or waves shaped the sand, even tracing events from millions of years ago.
SandAI offers a more detailed look into geological and archaeological studies, especially in areas where other evidence, like fossils, is missing. It can also be used in modern investigations, like finding illegal sand mining.
Traditionally, scientists used microscopes to study sand grains, but this was slow and often inaccurate. Now, SandAI uses machine learning to analyze the tiny details of each grain, making the process faster and more reliable.
Sand is the second most-used resource on Earth, after water. With SandAI, researchers can track the origins of sand, helping industries like construction ensure ethical sourcing. The tool has already shown impressive results, analyzing sand grains from different environments, including a 600-million-year-old sample from Norway.
SandAI is available online for anyone to use, and the researchers plan to keep improving it.
Source: stanford
