A new sensor printed on an ordinary piece of paper can send a wireless alert

Wildfires have recently devastated regions across the world, and their severity is increasing.

Now researchers led by Yapei Wang, a chemist at Renmin University of China, have developed an inexpensive sensor to detect such blazes earlier and with less effort.

The team says its new sensor can be placed near tree trunks' bases and send a wireless signal to a nearby receiver if there is a dramatic temperature increase. That heat also powers the sensor itself, eliminating the need to replace batteries.