New Maps Show Where Plant Life Thrives On Earth

This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration video shows where plants thrive on Earth and how this "greenness" changes with the seasons. The week-by-week changes in vegetation make allow scientists to assess fire danger, improve relief efforts in drought stricken areas, or anticipate malaria outbreaks (since malaria-carrying mosquitoes need moist green areas to grow). The data can also aid everything from smarter land use to better weather reports. Water runoff, surface temperature, and ...