Sabrina Lodadio -’s Post

Now we can really track the coral reefs. The University of Queensland-led research has shown there is more #coralreef area across the globe than previously thought, with detailed #satellite #mapping helping to conserve these vital ecosystems. Dr. Mitchell Lyons https://lnkd.in/gDiRJm_N working as part of the Allen Coral Atlas project, https://lnkd.in/gazMTEDy said scientists have now identified 348,000 square kilometers of shallow coral reefs, up to 20–30 meters deep. The research paper is published https://lnkd.in/ge5Nhztc in Cell Reports Sustainability. "We've found 80,000 square kilometers of reef have a hard bottom, where coral tends to grow, as opposed to soft bottom like sand, rubble or seagrass. "This data will allow scientists, conservationists, and policymakers to better understand and manage reef systems." More than 1.5 million samples and 100 trillion pixels from European Space Agency - ESA's #sentinel2 https://lnkd.in/gFrgciAp and Planet Dove CubeSat https://lnkd.in/gbyptfvH satellites were used to capture fine-scale detail on a high-resolution global map. "This is the first accurate depiction of the distribution and composition of the world's coral reefs, with clear and consistent terminology," Dr. Lyons said.

"NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) collected this hyperspectral image of the Amazon River in the northern Brazilian state of Pará on June 30, 2024. The tan and yellow colors represent vegetated land, while the blue and turquoise hues signify water. Clouds are white. This image is part of a new dataset providing new information on global ecosystem biodiversity." #satellitedata #earthobservation #hyperspectral https://lnkd.in/efpNqUhh

The world's first wooden satellite, LignoSat, was successfully launched into space on November 5, developed by Japanese researchers from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry. This innovative satellite will be sent to the International Space Station via a SpaceX mission before being released into orbit about 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth. LignoSat aims to test the feasibility of using timber as a renewable material for future lunar and Mars exploration. Takao Doi, an astronaut and researcher, emphasized that timber could enable sustainable habitats in space, stating, "With timber, we will be able to build houses and live in space forever." The project reflects a 50-year vision for constructing timber homes on the Moon and Mars. Wood is expected to be more durable in space due to the absence of water and oxygen, making it less susceptible to rot or fire. Additionally, the use of wooden satellites may reduce environmental impacts at the end of their lifecycle. #LignoSat #WoodenSatellite #SpaceInnovation #KyotoUniversity #SpaceXMission #SustainableSpace #TimberInSpace #FutureOfSpaceExploration #LunarExploration #MarsExploration #SustainableHabitats #SpaceTechnology #RenewableMaterials #AstronautTakaoDoi #SpaceResearch #GreenTechnology #EcoFriendlySpace #WoodInSpace #InternationalSpaceStation #SpaceHistory #TimberHomesOnTheMoon #EnvironmentalImpact #SpaceFuture #InnovativeEngineering

May 7, 2022 An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured this image of Saldanha Bay and its southerly extension known as Langebaan Lagoon in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Langebaan Lagoon, one of the few lagoons along South Africa’s coastline, is a shallow tidal estuary with no river flowing into it. The floor of the lagoon is a sand flat with tidal channels, visible as darker green meandering strands. Due to its water depth and protection from strong southerly winds, Saldanha Bay has provided a haven for ships over the centuries. For scale, the length of this bay and lagoon from the town of Saldanha to the southern tip of the lagoon is 27 kilometers (16.5 miles). The color of the landscape indicates various types of land use. Much of the lighter-toned areas in the upper half of the image are agricultural fields where farmers grow crops such as corn, wheat, and olives. Townscapes such as Saldanha and Langebaan also appear light brown and gray. Darker surfaces in the lower part of the image indicate semi-desert shrubby vegetation. This natural vegetation has become reestablished within the West Coast National Park. The export of goods and mineral resources is a key industry for the pictured communities. Saldanha, located on the shore of cold, highly productive waters, is a center for fishing. And the long railroad pier that juts 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) into Saldanha Bay is where 96 percent of South Africa’s iron ore is loaded onto ships before heading abroad. The iron ore comes from the Northern Cape province 860 kilometers (534 miles) to the northeast. The region has become a tourist center, and the bay and lagoon are a popular spot for water sports. The establishment of the West Coast National Park in 1987 protects the lagoon and surrounding coast as a nature reserve and includes a marine park, a RAMSAR site, and a bird center. The West Coast Fossil Park (top-right) has become a tourist attraction because it contains a diverse collection of 5-million-year-old fossils. Geologists interpret the sediments in which the fossils are found as being nearshore depositional environments similar to the modern Langebaan Lagoon. Astronaut photograph ISS067-E-35748 was acquired on May 7, 2022, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 67 crew. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by Justin Wilkinson, Texas State University, JETS Contract at NASA-JSC.

#MangroveDay #Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems that provide multiple ecological services: carbon storage, biodiversity, habitat for aquatic species, and cultural identity and ties for local communities. Despite the multiple ecological services provided by mangrove forests, they are under constant threat. At SERVIR-Amazonia we have developed two essential tools to contribute to the management of these ecosystems and decision-making. 🌱 Guyana Mangrove Information System (GuyMIS): A web application that allows interaction with data on the extent, changes and restoration of mangroves in Guyana. www.mangroves.gov.gy 🌊 MANGLEE: A tool developed in Google Earth Engine, which offers accessible monitoring of the state of #mangroves and their threats in Ecuador, supporting informed decision-making for their preservation. https://rb.gy/qpz1t1 National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (#NAREI) of #Guyana | USAID | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT | SERVIR Global

In about a month the European environmental 🛰️satellite Sentinel-2C will be launched into space from Europe's spaceport in Kourou 🌴 Once in space the satellite's solar arrays will be aligned towards the Sun 🌞 with our drive mechanisms. Launch date is scheduled for Sep 4 (CEST). The satellite will deliver data about for example agriculture, forestry or natural disasters (floods, forest fires, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and erosion). Sentinel-2C is a European Space Agency - ESA satellite within Copernicus ECMWF, the Earth Observation component of the EU Space program, managed by the European Commission in partnership with ESA. More about our solar array drive mechanisms 👉 https://lnkd.in/ex-8xav4 More about the launch preparations of Sentinel-2C including picture from a jungle boat tour :-) 👉 https://lnkd.in/dnry5jey Image credit: ESA, Airbus, Arianespace, CNES, EU

Oceans first, Mars later. Exploring our oceans is more important than space exploration because it requires far less energy and resources, making it more efficient. The benefits of ocean research are immediate and practical, such as managing resources sustainably, regulating the climate, and preparing for natural disasters. Our oceans are more accessible and hold a treasure trove of knowledge and resources that can directly enhance human life and environmental health. On the other hand, while space exploration is fascinating and valuable, it demands significantly more resources with less certain and more long-term returns. Prioritizing ocean research is a smarter, more immediate way to make a positive impact on our world. #space #spacetech #spaceinnovation #oceanology #climatechange #seasteading #seastead #aquatech #bluetech

New approach could take space missions to new heights, Credit: NASA New Curtin University research could change how space missions are conducted and lead to improvements in industries as diverse as environmental management, agriculture, disaster management and infrastructure inspection. A team from Curtin's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences has developed a breakthrough in operating and monitoring small satellites, known as CubeSats. The project saw new algorithms created to use links between satellites

The world's first wooden satellite, LignoSat, was successfully launched into space on November 5, developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry researchers in Japan. This innovative satellite will travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on a SpaceX mission before being released into orbit at around 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth. LignoSat's mission is to assess the feasibility of using timber as a renewable material for future exploration on the Moon and Mars. Takao Doi, an astronaut and researcher, highlighted timber's potential to support sustainable habitats in space, saying, "With timber, we will be able to build houses and live in space forever." The project aligns with a 50-year vision of constructing timber-based dwellings on the Moon and Mars. In the absence of water and oxygen, wood could prove more resilient in space, being less prone to rot or fire. Moreover, wooden satellites may lower the environmental impact at the end of their lifecycle. #FeaturedHorizon #WoodenSatellite #LignoSat #SpaceExploration #SustainableMaterials #TimberInSpace #KyotoUniversity #LunarMissions #MarsExploration

The world's first wooden satellite, LignoSat, was launched into space on November 5! Developed by researchers from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, this innovative satellite is on its way to the International Space Station via a SpaceX mission. Once there, it will be released into orbit about 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth. LignoSat's mission is to test if timber can be used as a renewable material for future lunar and Mars exploration. Astronaut and researcher Takao Doi highlighted that timber could allow us to build sustainable habitats in space, saying, "With timber, we will be able to build houses and live in space forever." This project envisions timber homes on the Moon and Mars in the next 50 years. Wood might be more durable in space because it doesn't rot or catch fire due to the lack of water and oxygen. Plus, using wooden satellites could reduce environmental impacts when they're no longer in use. #WoodenSatellite #LignoSat #SpaceExploration #SustainableMaterials #TimberInSpace #KyotoUniversity #LunarMissions #MarsExploration