Philly daily roundup: A close-up of the moon; Shapiro won’t be VP; Robotic vehicles improve traffic

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A data project helping NASA get to the moon

Geospatial platform Cesium released Cesium Moon Terrain today, a curated data set of the moon’s surface that can be used to build applications, simulations or 3D experiences. 

This project builds off past efforts to create 3D data sets of Earth’s terrain. The next step for the company could be data sets for Mars or other planets, senior product manager Dave Braig said. 

(And, if you use the data to build something cool, reach out to let me know.)

➡️ Learn how this data set can be useful for space projects

Harris passed on Shapiro for VP

Presumed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, but PA governor Josh Shapiro had a lot of buzz surrounding him leading up to the announcement. 

Over the last two years, Shapiro has had several tech-related wins with investments in robotics and technology, agriculture, energy, life sciences and manufacturing. He will also be speaking at the inaugural AI Horizons Summit in Pittsburgh this fall.  

➡️ Read more about Shapiro’s Pennsylvania impact

News Incubator: What else to know today

• A research study out of the University of Tennessee found that robotic vehicles can improve the flow of traffic, even when there are still human drivers on the road.[Technical.ly]

•  Biopharmaceutical company Arbutus Biopharma will be reducing its workforce by 40%, laying off about 30 people. The company is working on a treatment for Hepatitis B. [Philly Biz Journal]

• Gloria Bell, founder of the Women in Tech Summit, and Isabelle Kent, CEO of Philly Startup Leaders, submitted a panel idea for SXSW next year. You can vote for their pitch until August 18.  [LinkedIn]

• The School District of Philadelphia won $300,000 from the US Department of Energy’s Renew America’s Schools Prize and Grant program to make energy upgrades to its its school buildings. [DOE]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Philly Fixers Guild is hosting another pop-up Repair Fair to help you fix your stuff for free on August 8. [Sign up here]

• Join Richard Feldman at Indy Hall on August 8 for a talk on Async/Await. [Register here]