On a day-to-day basis, we don’t often stop and think about how small we are compared to the vast universe. Some people prefer not to ponder the fact that we are all living on a tiny blue dot, floating in space. For others, this is a humbling thought, providing a different perspective on the world.
Since humanity has been venturing into space, our cameras haven’t only been pointed to what is beyond Earth, but also back at the planet itself. Photographs taken by astronauts show us a different view of the places and events we experience daily. Something that may seem enormous on Earth, seems relatively small from space. Check out these incredible photos taken from space, in many ways perspective-altering, but all-in-all breathtaking.
1. The Pyramids of Giza
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The man-made architectural wonders may seem small compared to other buildings, but this picture shows just how incredible they are.
2. The Amazon River
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This 4,000 mile-long river can also be seen from space.
3. Deforestation
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This major environmental issue can be seen from space as well. This portion of the Amazon rain forest has lost over 965 square miles of forest in the span of 37 years. The forest as a whole has lost 139,000 square miles since the 1980s.
4. Volcanic eruptions
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This is the 2009 eruption of Sarychev Peak on Matua Island in the Kuril Islands of Russia.
5. The 9/11 terrorist attacks
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This photo was taken by astronaut Frank Culbertson on the morning of September 11, 2001. After he was radioed about the attacks, he documented the tragedy from the International Space Station.
6. Wild fires
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Some wild fires, like this one in California, can become so out of control that their smoke can be seen from space.
7. 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
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This is the before and after satellite imagery of the northwest coast of Sumatra, where the tsunami made landfall in Indonesia.
8. Dust storms
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9. The border between India and Pakistan
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This photo shows the highly militarized border between India and Pakistan – the relationship between the two countries is one of extreme tension.
10. North and South Korea
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Here you can see the remarkable difference between North and South Korea even in terms of the wide usage of electric light. North Korea is almost entirely in darkness.
11. The Himalayas
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This massive mountain range contains the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest.
12. The Ganges River Delta
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This is the largest delta formation in the world, covering an area of 220 miles.
13. The Great Barrier Reef
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This photo is proof that yes, the water really is that blue! This remarkable natural wonder is located on the coast of eastern Australia. The reef is made up of more than 900 islands stretching for 1,600 miles.
14. Phytoplankton blooms
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These blooms are made up of phytoplankton, a source of energy for some of the largest and smallest sea creatures.
15. The Grand Canyon
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This massive national park in Arizona is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the U.S. The canyon is a whopping 277 miles long.
16. The changing of the seasons
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(via Listverse, The Mysterious World)
It’s fascinating to see these photos! They really give you a sense of what it’s like to be high up above floating in and beyond our atmosphere.
