“Change is the only constant”
This saying by Heraclitus may be thousands of years old, but it holds true in every sense even today. There are changes around us every day, but sometimes we fail to notice them. However, this compilation of images by NASA titled ‘Images of Change‘ showing drastic changes in the different regions of our planet would certainly make you ponder over the environmental degradation we humans have been causing for years on a very large scale.
These changes are a result of factors ranging from deforestation, climate change, urbanisation to natural hazards with time periods ranging from days to over a century!
1. McCarty Glacier melt, Alaska (1909-2004)
2. Balbina Dam impact, Brazil (1984/85-2007)
3. Ice avalanche in Tibet’s Aru range (June 2016-July 2016)
4. Fire and recovery in Yellowstone National Park, US (1988-2016)
5. Exceptionally early ice melt, Greenland (2014-2016)
6. Iran’s lake Urmia changes colour (April 2016-July 2016)
7. Urban expansion in New Delhi, India (1991-2016)
8. Fort Mcmurray wildfire aftermath in Alberta, Canada (2015-2016)
9. Flooding, Sri Lanka (March 2016-May 2016)
10. Light Pollution, Milan (2012-2015)
11. Huang He(Yellow) delta growth, China (1985-2014)
12. New island appears, Red Sea (2007-2011)
13. Imja Glacier melt, Himalayas (1956-2007)
14. Topaz solar farm installation, California (2011-2015)
15. Shrinking Aral Sea, Central Asia (2000-2014)
16. Artificial islands, United Arab Emirates (2001-2012)
17. Pedersen Glacier melt, Alaska (1920/40-2005)
18. Omo delta growth, Kenya (1973-2005/06)
19. Lake Meredith shrinkage, Texas (1990-2011)
20. Flood in Hamburg, Iowa (2010-2011)
These pictures are proof that we have destroyed mother nature far too much in the name of progress and development that it may be very difficult to restore it back. However, we can learn from our mistakes and consider the protection of environment first, before taking another step in the name of development.