Jet-Tracking Tool Sparks Debate Over Billionaire Escape Signals

A programmer launched the Apocalypse Early Warning System (AEWS), a public data tool that maps global private-jet activity and scores deviations from typical flight patterns to indicate potential, but not guaranteed, civilization-threatening signals. A score of 5 flags unusually high activity—often tied to holidays or major events—and the highest spike to date occurred on April 6 after Iran’s retaliation attacks; the project sits among broader efforts to reveal patterns in public data and inform conversations about wealth, power, and governance.