Applied Sciences

NASA satellites and sensors constantly take the pulse of our planet, measuring how Earth changes by the day, season, year, and decade. Researchers and resource managers analyze those measurements and apply them on local and regional scales to better manage things like our food and water supplies, health, safety, land use, and ecosystems. NASA data is also used by other government agencies to help with responses to natural disasters and emergencies around the country and the world.

A Flash Drought Dries the Southeast
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A Flash Drought Dries the Southeast

After a wet spring, a quick-onset drought has parched fields.

Published Oct 23, 2019

Image of the Day Remote Sensing

New Map Shows Risk of Sunburn Across the U.S.
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New Map Shows Risk of Sunburn Across the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using NASA data to help the public better understand their UV exposure.

Published Aug 7, 2019

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Water Cycle is Speeding Up Over Much of the U.S.
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Water Cycle is Speeding Up Over Much of the U.S.

Scientists have developed a new way to measure water cycle intensity over time.

Published Jul 26, 2019

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Measuring Movement from the Ridgecrest Quake
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Measuring Movement from the Ridgecrest Quake

Remote sensing scientists are getting better at measuring such events and showing how they disrupt and move the land surface.

Published Jul 25, 2019

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Study Projects Troubles for 1700 Vertebrate Species
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Study Projects Troubles for 1700 Vertebrate Species

Researchers examined how human land use will affect species habitats around the world.

Published Jul 22, 2019

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Green Space is Good for Mental Health
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Green Space is Good for Mental Health

New study uses satellite and demographic data to show how the prolonged presence of green space is important for a healthy society.

Published Jul 17, 2019

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Mapping the Land Between the Tides
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Mapping the Land Between the Tides

Harnessing 30 years of Landsat data, researchers have created the first three-dimensional model of Australia’s entire coastline.

Published Jul 2, 2019

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NASA Helps Warn of Harmful Algae in Lakes, Reservoirs
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NASA Helps Warn of Harmful Algae in Lakes, Reservoirs

With limited resources to monitor often-unpredictable blooms, water managers are turning to new technologies to detect and keep track of hazards.

Published Jun 22, 2019

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The Urbanization of Ulaanbaatar
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The Urbanization of Ulaanbaatar

The Mongolian capital is spreading outward as migrants from the countryside fill neighborhoods on the fringes of the city.

Published Jun 4, 2019

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Food Crisis Grows from Dry Soils
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Food Crisis Grows from Dry Soils

Drought is apparent across much of East Africa after seasonal rains failed to deliver much moisture to the region.

Published May 30, 2019

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Record-Setting Precipitation Leaves U.S. Soils Soggy
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Record-Setting Precipitation Leaves U.S. Soils Soggy

The continental United States recently finished its wettest twelve months in 124 years of modern recordkeeping.

Published May 24, 2019

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Lights Out after Cyclone Fani
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Lights Out after Cyclone Fani

The powerful storm, one of the worst to hit India since 1999, knocked out electricity across the state of Odisha.

Published May 8, 2019

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Tracking Peruvian Forest Loss from Space
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Tracking Peruvian Forest Loss from Space

The Madre de Dios region has a rich concentration of endemic species, but their habitats are being threatened by human activity.

Published Apr 19, 2019

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Sizing Up the Carbon Footprint of Cities
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Sizing Up the Carbon Footprint of Cities

Large and wealthy cities have the biggest carbon footprints.

Published Apr 11, 2019

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A Bloom after the Storm
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A Bloom after the Storm

Tropical cyclone Veronica appears to have stirred up swirls of phytoplankton.

Published Apr 3, 2019

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Understanding Evacuation Patterns with Social Media
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Understanding Evacuation Patterns with Social Media

Researchers are using Facebook data to observe population movements during disasters.

Published Mar 29, 2019

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Drought Harms Corn Crops in Southern Africa
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Drought Harms Corn Crops in Southern Africa

Dry conditions are bringing food insecurity to several countries.

Published Mar 20, 2019

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A Honking, Fluttering Spectacle
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A Honking, Fluttering Spectacle

Flooded rice fields in the winter help farmers soften plant stubble for spring tilling. They also provide an oasis for migratory birds.

Published Mar 26, 2019

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Satellites Find Greener Pastures
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Satellites Find Greener Pastures

Brazilian researchers are using satellites to calculate how many cattle can be supported by the country's pasturelands.

Published Mar 12, 2019

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Unstable Precipitation Leads to Unstable Pastures
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Unstable Precipitation Leads to Unstable Pastures

Fluctuations in rainfall are reducing the ability to sustain cattle on grazing lands.

Published Feb 22, 2019

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Night Lights Show Slow Recovery from Maria
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Night Lights Show Slow Recovery from Maria

The hurricane took a disproportionate toll on power supplies in remote areas of Puerto Rico.

Published Dec 12, 2018

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The Seasonal Rhythms of Ammonia
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The Seasonal Rhythms of Ammonia

Farms and feedlots are a key source of the pollutant.

Published Dec 10, 2018

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Looking to RECOVER After the Fire
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Looking to RECOVER After the Fire

A NASA project is providing maps of satellite data to emergency response teams during the Woolsey Fire.

Published Nov 16, 2018

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Which Way Will the Smoke Go?
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Which Way Will the Smoke Go?

A new experimental model that relies on data from NOAA and NASA satellites has proven remarkably good at simulating the behavior of wildfire smoke.

Published Nov 6, 2018

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Watching Out for Whales
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Watching Out for Whales

Environmental variables detected by satellites can help reduce collisions between ships and blue whales.

Published Nov 1, 2018

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Monitoring Outflow and Algae
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Monitoring Outflow and Algae

A NASA team was able to use satellite imagery to observe effects of a repair of Los Angeles' largest wastewater treatment plant.

Published Oct 30, 2018

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Smart Phones Bring Smart Irrigation
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Smart Phones Bring Smart Irrigation

A project using NASA satellite data helps reduce overwatering and enhances crop yields for Pakistani farmers.

Published Oct 18, 2018

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Early Warnings for Crop Failures
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Early Warnings for Crop Failures

The GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for Early Warning provides science-driven alerts for countries that may be in danger of low crop yields.

Published Oct 5, 2018

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Remotely Sensing Crop Prices
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Remotely Sensing Crop Prices

Economists are using satellite data to help make more accurate price predictions of important crops.

Published Sep 20, 2018

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Taking Stock of the World’s Sandy Beaches
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Taking Stock of the World’s Sandy Beaches

Sandy beaches are growing in some parts of the world and shrinking quickly in others, including one-third of marine protected areas.

Published Aug 2, 2018

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