Misty vales
The crust of our planet was heavily wreathed in rising groundmist rising from the river valleys of steamy equatorial Venezuela on the day that this photo was taken from the space station. Occasional breaks in the fog allowed the astronauts a glimpse into the world below while a few bright clouds were dotted above. While I find the scientific information that flows from satellite based observation fascinating, and delight in the endless interactions they reveal between the great components of our world system (geosphere, atmosphere, oceans and biosphere), the simple sights of our world from above are always what move me most towards a deeper love, respect and awareness of the loveliness of the blue marble which we all share with the living organisms that make up the great and variegated bush of life. In this world of ours, everything depends on everything else, and we forget this basic and brutal fact at our peril…..Whether intelligence is an evolutionary boon to a species or not, we will certainly be finding out over the next couple of centuries.
Loz
Image credit: Col. Chris Hadfield