Company
Date Published
Author
Sofia Heisler, Jamie Saxon
Word count
945
Language
English
Hacker News points
2

Summary

The text discusses the use of Mapbox Movement data to analyze the impact of the solar eclipse on travel patterns in the United States. The dataset, which is based on mobile device activity from over 700 million monthly active users, revealed a dramatic increase in activity within the path of totality, with some locations experiencing enormous spikes in activity. The weather played a role in the movement patterns, with areas expected to be clear for viewing the eclipse seeing more activity than those with cloud cover. Interestingly, most of the movement occurred before and after the eclipse, with the lowest activity values during the peak hour of the eclipse. Overall, the eclipse appears to have been a net benefit to local economies, both on the day of the event and in the surrounding days. Mapbox continues to innovate its Movement data, releasing a new version that provides broader coverage, enhanced privacy, and higher consistency over time.