There was lichen on some trees near El Malpais National Monument in north west New Mexico on January 14, 1987. No, seriously there was. If you want to double check, the U.S. Geological Survey has released a database called Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) that tracks 100 thousand species in the U.S.. More »
NASA’s Landsat program recently turned the big four-oh, and what better way to deal with the mid-life crisis by getting a new satellite as a present? Accordingly, the space agency has just launched Landsat 8 into orbit to give its Earth Science program a new injection of youth. The new vehicle improves the accuracy of existing light and thermal sensors while widening the scope to better reflect modern climate studies — number 8 now tracks aerosols in the atmosphere, high cirrus clouds and the telltale signs of water quality and consumption levels. We won’t get the first USGS-derived results from the new satellite until after a 100-day shakedown period, but we’re sure the deeper understanding of our planet will help the Landsat program forget all about those first few gray hairs.
Filed under: Science
Source: NASA
The latest Landsat satellite has successfully separated from the Atlas V booster and it’s now alive and well orbiting Earth. It’s the most powerful and modern Landsat satellite yet, the last member of a saga that has provided with vital information to everyone, from farmers to environmental scientists. More »
The Landsat program has revolutionized how we view the Earth during its forty continuous years of operation. The reams of data generated by seven generations of satellites has helped govern both public and private policies from agriculture and forestry management to cartography, geology, and urban planning. The eighth iteration of Landsat is slated for launch next week and is expected to deliver more detailed data than ever. More »
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
