Mapped: what the world would look like if all its vegetation lit up at night

You’ve probably seen images of humanity’s light pollution from space by now, but what if the vegetation of the world was the only source of light? Redditor grey_like_the_color shared this eye-catching image that uses data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to do just that. The image is just a snapshot of the world’s plants and trees in the month of September, so it does not reveal how full of life certain deserts can be at other times of the year. Still, it is shocking to see how much plant life can be found in places that are so urbanized. While Brazil and Southeast Asia are radiating light, both Western Europe and the Eastern Seaboard of the US still glow almost as much as in maps showing light pollution.

1. Map of vegetation as light pollution in the Eastern Hemisphere

2. Map of vegetation as light pollution in the Western Hemisphere

3. Complete map of vegetation as light pollution in the world