Thanks to satellites, being able to analyze the Earth from space is easier. In addition, the use of the International Space Station is added, which orbits our planet about 16 times a day. But, what is the work that generates the most curiosity when seen from the outside? Is it the Great Wall of China? The Line?
No. According to the Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque, they are the Greenhouses of Almería.
Something needs to be nuanced: the statements are from 2007, but they are still valid today for a simple reason: the material from which the Greenhouses are made.
The Spanish province of Almería uses these greenhouses to stimulate intensive agriculture. They are made attractive from space by their material: they are made of plastic, and the reflection of the Sun creates a tremendous sight.
Duke said at the time that “When the Sun reflects on the sea of plastic, a spectacular effect is produced”, that makes the enclave “one of the places that attracts the most attention”.
The Greenhouses of Almería seen from space by NASA
Last July, NASA scientist Adam Voiland analyzed new images of the Greenhouses from space, thanks to the Landsat 9 satellite.
Voiland explained that Almería is one of the driest lands in Europe, and the greenhouses have helped make it an important center of agriculture.
“They soon realized that crops under plastic they were much more productive than outdoor crops, because the soils stayed warmer and retained more moisture,” pointed out the scientist.
The Greenhouses of Almería cover more than 40 thousand hectares, Observing from space, in the words of Pedro Duque, “a sea of plastic.”
So planet Earth can have several spectacular monuments to enjoy from outside, such as the Great Wall of China or The Line, but above them are the Greenhouses of Almería, one more product of the ingenuity of the human being to take advantage of each piece of the territory and survive.
