Europe's scorched landscapes seen from space after summer heatwaves

This summer's extreme heatwaves across western Europe have left a clear mark on the landscape, as seen from space. Satellite images from the EU's Copernicus climate monitoring service reveal shrunken glaciers, scorched areas from wildfires, arid fields, and lower river levels in several countries. The French Palace of Versailles appears as an island of trees amidst brown fields, while the Danube's water levels are at their lowest in 30 years, uncovering ancient discoveries like a mammoth's bones in Bulgaria and a WW2 warship in Serbia.

The Rhine has seen stranded cargo vessels and cancelled river cruises, while the Alps' glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, with the Rhône Glacier in Switzerland retreating by up to 50 meters since this time last year. Wildfires have devastated over 90,000 hectares in France, marking the worst year on record. The persistent high-pressure systems, clear skies, and warming temperatures due to climate change have all contributed to these devastating heatwaves, with the NDVI measuring widespread water stress in 70% of France and lower soil moisture in about 98% of the historical record.

If current trends continue, the future of Europe's glaciers and agricultural lands looks increasingly grim.