The NASA Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
When it comes to environmental and wildlife issues, it’s important to look from different angles - to take a step back and appreciate the bigger picture. But why stop there? Why not go for the biggest picture?
You won’t find many websites giving you the chance to go into space, but if anyone’s going to take you there, it’s going to be NASA. The Earth Observatory is part of the much larger NASA website
The Observation Deck section lets you see Earth in many ways - look at the temperature of the oceans, the gases in the atmosphere, or see how the plankton blooms are coming along. The difference between seeing these pictures and, say, looking in an encyclopaedia, is an impressive one: some of these pictures are really up to date. You can view the Earth as it is right now, or set up animations using past data, to see how things change over time.
Read about the many areas of research using satellite imagery in the Study section, and check the regularly updated news section for the latest developments. The ins and outs of the constantly evolving climate change debate, for example, are presented in a well-rounded and down to Earth way.
And as climatologists follow weather systems with ever-increasing accuracy, biologists are finding ways to investigate wildlife from a whole new perspective. Surveying the Amazon from the ground would be a monumental task - but with satellites, ecologists can measure seasonal flooding and complex changes in vegetation for the first time. In another feature, you can read about how, rather than following individual spotted owls on Earth, scientists in Oregon are tracking the birds, and the changes in thei There’s a lot more to see besides - this is a vast resource full of things you won’t find anywhere else. It was a bit disappointing not being able to see my flat from space, though… I’ll have to email NASA about that one.
Richard Northover
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