The Graphic Truth: Who's spending more/less on defense?

Whether it's baseball brawls or political polarization, social media gives us all a warped picture of the world. Why is that, and what can we do about it? Senior Writer Alex Kliment takes a look.

Fewer than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern United States, killing at least 230 people and causing billions of dollars in damage, Hurricane Milton hit Florida late Wednesday, causing multiple deaths, destroying homes, and bringing with it tornadoes, waves approaching 30 feet, and a thousand-year flood in the St. Petersburg area. Over 3 million in the state are without power. Before Milton made landfall, experts estimated the storm could cause between $50 and $175 billion in damage, with insurers on the hook for up to $100 billion.

The battle for Arctic supremacy, so vital for mineral resources and military advantage, is heating up. One key component of this mounting geopolitical competitionis surveillance by Earth observation satellites. Without such space-based technology, it would be impossible to track the changes — and potential problems and opportunities — emerging in this vast and strategically important region. New satellite technology is upending our understanding of remote places and stands at the forefront of one of the most dramatic transformations of security, technology, exploration, and innovation. What is happening in space is having a revolutionary impact on Earth. And one country has the potential to lead the way: Canada. “The absolute one place that Canada can be and should be in charge of is the Arctic,” says Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space, the leading Canadian space technology company that built the country’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission satellites that are central to Arctic maritime surveillance. Learn moreabout how space technology could redefine Canada’s global role in this interactive article from MDA Space and GZERO Media.