ADVERTISEMENT
Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. or Join now .

Can You Identify These Cities From Their Light Signatures?

  • By Rose Eveleth
  • NASA Earth Observatory
Istanbul
Sign up for the free Nautilus newsletter:
science and culture for people who love beautiful writing.
NL – Article speedbump

Thought-provoking science stories.

No-brainer intro price.

Thought-provoking science stories.

No-brainer intro price.

The full Nautilus archive • eBooks & Special Editions • Ad-free reading

  • The full Nautilus archive
  • eBooks & Special Editions
  • Ad-free reading
Join

The light that a city emits is like its glowing fingerprint. From the orderly grid of Manhattan, to the sprawling, snaking streets of Milan, to the bright contrast of Kuwait’s ring-roads, each city leaves its own pattern of tiny glowing dots. See if you can ID these cities based on the way they shine.

Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now .

  [removed][removed]

 

ADVERTISEMENT
Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now .

 

yiran jia interview
Arts

A Sci-fi Artist Who Draws From Real Life
Article Sidebar Image
Math

The Mathematical Mysteries of Fireflies
Article Sidebar Image
Zoology

How Female Bonobos Rule
ADVERTISEMENT

! There is not an active subscription associated with that email address.

Subscribe to continue reading.

You’ve read your 2 free articles this month. Access unlimited ad-free stories, including this one, by becoming a Nautilus member.

Subscribe now

! There is not an active subscription associated with that email address.

This is your last free article.

Don’t limit your curiosity. Access unlimited ad-free stories like this one, and support independent journalism, by becoming a Nautilus member.

Subscribe now