In Photos: What Earth Looks Like From Space

Venice 45°26′15′′N, 12°20′9′′E

Venice, Italy, is situated on 118 islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. With tide waters expected to rise to perilous levels in the coming decades, the city has constructed 78 steel gates across the three inlets through which water from the Adriatic could surge into Venice’s lagoon. The panels – which weigh 300 tons and are 92ft wide and 65ft high – are fixed to massive concrete bases dug into the seabed

Photograph: Daily Overview/DigitalGlobe, a Maxar Company

Spanish greenhouses 36°50’25.0”N, 2°28’05.0”W

Greenhouses in Almería, Spain. The structures in this region cover approximately 20,000 hectares of land (more than 75 square miles). The use of plastic covering, known as ‘plasticulture’, is designed to increase produce yield, increase produce size, and shorten growth time. For a sense of scale, this overview shows roughly six square miles

Photograph: Daily Overview/DigitalGlobe, a Maxar Company

Eixample, Barcelona 41°23′27′′N, 2°09′47′′E

The Eixample district in Barcelona, Spain, is characterized by its strict grid pattern and apartments with communal courtyards. This thoughtful and visionary design was the work of Ildefons Cerdà. His plan features broad streets that widen at octagonal intersections to create greater visibility with increased sunlight, better ventilation, and more space for short-term parking

Photograph: Daily Overview/DigitalGlobe, a Maxar Company