40. The world as seen from space, over a 12-month time-lapse

This NASA moving image, recorded by satellite over a full year as part of their Blue Marble Project, shows the ebb and flow of the seasons and vegetation. Both are absolutely crucial factors in every facet of human existence -- so crucial we barely even think about them. It's also a reminder that the Earth is, for all its political and social and religious divisions, still unified by the natural phenomena that make everything else possible.

这个NASA动图是作为Blue Marble计划的一部分，由卫星在一整年里记录下来的。它显示了季节和植物的衰退和流动。季节和植物都是人类存在的每个方面的绝对关键因素——太过关键，以至于我们都很少去想一想它们。它也提醒了我们，即便地球上有各种政治和社会的划分，但是自然现象是统一的，而这是其他任何可能性的前提。