domingo, 22 de março de 2020

Europe’s coronavirus crisis seen from the sky


Europe’s coronavirus crisis seen from the sky

The European Commission is using its own space data to tell capitals to ease up on border checks.

By JOSHUA POSANER AND HANNE COKELAERE 3/21/20, 3:18 PM CET

The battle against coronavirus has shuttered European cities and created huge traffic jams on what just a few weeks ago were open borders.

Sometimes the best way to understand a new situation is to step back — in this case way, way back — and get a look at what Europe under coronavirus lockdown looks like from space.

Those images show empty plazas and streets, and also contain practical information that the European Commission is using in an effort to cajole countries into letting traffic flow across closed borders.


St Mark's Square in Venice on March 18, 2020 on the right, compared to a picture from 2019 on the left | Planet Labs


Downtown Lisbon on March 17, 2020 | Satellite image ©2020 Maxar Technologies


Downtown Milan on March 17, 2020 | Satellite image ©2020 Maxar Technologies

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