![]() In 1995, satellite images provided evidence of mass executions in Srebrenica, in former Yugoslavia. Increasingly, satellite imagery is used to measure, identify and track human activity. ![]() Satellite images track the changing human footprint across the globe, including rapidly growing cities, urban sprawl and informal settlements. More recently, before and after images of the impact of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano revealed the flow of lava and loss of homes and businesses. For example, in 1986, combined data modeled from satellite images and weather data tracked the plume of radiation from the explosion of the Chernobyl reactor in the USSR. Images also provide evidence of compelling stories about the power of disasters. This information now helps to monitor vegetative health and track droughts around the world. Satellite imagery has made a difference in a wide variety of fields and industries.įor example, in 1973, satellite images were first processed to demonstrate seasonal vegetation change. This imagery offers a powerful way to understand our world.īut I think it’s important for people to understand the limitations of this technology, lest they misunderstand what they see. Algorithms refine these data to describe places and phenomena on the Earth’s surface and in the atmosphere.Īs a geographer, I work with geospatial data, including satellite images. ![]() These images are captured through remote sensing technologies-like drones, aerial photographs and satellite sensors-without physical contact or firsthand experience. Satellite images are part of the big data revolution. Biochemist Gregory Petsko described the image as “perfectly representing the human condition of living on an island in the universe.” Many researchers now credit the image as marking the beginning of environmental activism in the U.S. In 1972, the crew of Apollo 17 captured what has become one of the most iconic images of the Earth: the Blue Marble. The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.
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