It’s easy to imagine these photos of Earth hanging in a modern art exhibition. Taken via satellite, these images are part of a series called Earth As Art from the U.S. Geological Survey and offer “fresh and inspiring glimpses of different parts of our planet’s complex surface.” They are deserts, islands, vineyards, and river deltas, rich with vibrant and unexpected colors that bring to light the weird shapes and uncanny patterns that make up Earth’s landscapes.
Pictured above:
The mix of sand dunes and salt lakes at the edge of the Bogda Mountains in China creates this hyper-surreal landscape in the Turpan Depression, one of the few inland places in the world that lie below sea level.