The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly.
- John Muir
From The Journal...
From The Podcast...
Qiusheng Wu, University of Tennessee Traditionally, access to satellite data has been limited to researchers and professionals with expertise in remote sensing and image processing.
However, the increasing availability of open-access data from government satellites such as Landsat and Sentinel, and free cloud-computing resources such as Amazon Web Services, Google Earth Engine and Microsoft Planetary Computer, have made it possible for just about anyone to gain insight into environmental changes underway. I work with geospatial big data as a professor. Here’s a quick tour of where you can find satellite images, plus some free, fairly simple tools that anyone can use to create time-lapse animations from satellite images. For example, state and urban planners – or people considering a new home – can watch over time how rivers have moved, construction crept into wildland areas or a coastline eroded.
FEATURED
Escape to Japan’s Unexplored Regions of Sacred Peaks and Breathtaking Coastlines
The Yamagata prefecture is home to beautiful mountains and nature, while Ehime has a mild climate that's perfect for a wide range of outdoor activities.
Highlander UAE: Another Side to the Emirates in the Hajar Mountains
The Hajar Mountains and Ras al Khaimah, often abbreviated to RAK, is an adventurous alternative to its skyscraper-choked neighbours in the UAE.
Pandoravirus: The Melting Arctic is Releasing Ancient Germs
As the world continues to warm, the thawing permafrost is releasing organic matter that has been frozen for millennia, including bacteria and viruses – some that can still reproduce.
Video Streaming vs Driving a Car: Calculating the Internet’s Hidden Carbon Footprint
The Internet is anything but immaterial, as all those messages, images, and videos live in data centres, which consume immense amounts of energy.
The Inconvenient Truth of Herman Daly: There is No Economy Without Environment
In an age of climate chaos and economic crisis, Herman Daly's ideas that inspired a movement to live within our means are increasingly essential.
Book Review: On Europe’s Sacred Ground, Landscapes Are as Compelling as the People
In the late 1990s, Andrew Terrill set off from the southern tip of Italy to walk to the top of mainland Europe. Part 2 picks up with 4,500 miles still to go.
A Technologically Advanced Society is Choosing to Destroy Itself. It’s Both Fascinating and Horrifying to Watch
As world leaders assemble for the United Nations climate change conference, it’s hard to be optimistic towards any radical change in global carbon emissions.
