This week’s science picture
A plume of smoke wafting from a forest fire in western Colorado, taken by astronauts aboard the ISS.
From space, Earth is a sensational sight often hard to grasp because seeing where all of human history has occurred, can be quite emotional and very impactful. As time goes by, visible signs of climate change start to appear. Those on land may notice air pollution, deforestation, or even rises in temperature and sea level. However astronauts are the only ones to bear witness to the mighty destruction of Earth, macroscopically.
According the Michael Lopez-Alegria (former astronaut 1995-2007) they can see the effects of human presence on the planet. For example a different hue to the air indicates air pollution and contamination. Deforestation is also recognisable and so is the decimation of our water reservoir, as bodies of water noticeably becoming smaller. Capturing these photos from space allows astronauts to raise awareness of the fragility of the planet and its ecosystem, to those of us safe at home.
