Geographic information science is the study of geography through digital technology. It uses geographic information systems, remote sensing (primarily interpretation of satellite imagery), and spatial modeling (viewing, analyzing, and mapping spatial data) to examine geographic patterns and processes.
Geographic information systems (GIS) and the digital spatial data that they contain inform major decisions on how smart cities are built, how natural resources are managed, how communities respond to natural disasters, and how the spread of disease is detected. These same systems and data guide such everyday tasks as deciding one's driving route, finding family and friends using a phone, or figuring out when the bus will arrive.