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5 Space Photos that Speak to Our Human Existence – The Countdown, Episode 43

Since at least the 1960s, astronauts and satellites have been snapping photos of planet Earth from on high. While many of these photos possess an intrinsic beauty, some hold important clues about the goings-on of the inhabitants below.

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Since at least the 1960s, astronauts and satellites have been snapping photos of planet Earth from on high. While many of these photos possess an intrinsic beauty, some hold important clues about the goings-on of the inhabitants below. In this episode of The Countdown, we bring you five images that speak loudly about the challenges facing the human race.

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Host/writer: Sophie Bushwick

Production Assistant: William Herkewitz

Editor: Kathryn Free

Producer: Eric R. Olson

About Eric R. Olson

Eric is multimedia journalist and producer who specializes in science and natural history. His work has appeared on the websites of Scientific American, Nature, Nature Medicine, Popular Science, Slate and The New York Times among many others. He is a former video producer & editor for Scientific American.

More by Eric R. Olson