No place like space to see shocking changes on Earth

Water level in Lake Powell (1999)

Combined with human demands, a multi-year drought in the Upper Colorado River Basin caused a dramatic drop in the Colorado River's Lake Powell in the early part of the 2000s. The lake began to recover in the latter part of the decade, but as of 2015, it was still well below capacity.



Keep clicking to see more "Before and After" photos of the Earth.



Source: Earth Observatory

less Water level in Lake Powell (1999)

Combined with human demands, a multi-year drought in the Upper Colorado River Basin caused a dramatic drop in the Colorado River's Lake Powell in the early part of the ... more Photo: NASA Photo: NASA Image 1 of / 94 Caption Close No place like space to see shocking changes on Earth 1 / 94 Back to Gallery

File this under "cool things you can find digging around the NASA website."

From theater balconies to skyscraper observatories, it's no secret that a height advantage makes for a better view.

Some of the best views on Earth come from satellites in orbit. Over the decades, NASA has amassed thousands of photographs of our changing world and is sharing them on its website World of Change.

Check out how various places on earth looked before and after natural disasters, climate change, population booms and other life-changing events in the slideshow above.