By Cosmos in partnership with RMIT University (School of Science)
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Wikimedia Commons.
What is Earth Observation and why does it matter?
Earth Observation is the science of gathering information about our planet from afar, and using it to understand our world.
The data collected is used in maps and models that help reveal patterns to improve the protection of biodiversity and predict risks like droughts or bushfires.
Image: Real-time responsive flood event representation of Melbourne, Australia. Credit: RMIT University.
Image: Real-time responsive flood event representation of Melbourne, Australia. Credit: RMIT University.
This kind of location-based analysis sits within a broader field called “geospatial science” — the study of how we collect, map, interpret, and communicate information about the Earth, from its surface to the oceans and atmosphere.
City of Melbourne, Australia, Feb 2024. Credit: Copernicus Sentinel-2.
Earth Observation is important because it transforms data from space into insights that help us protect lives, plan sustainable communities, safeguard ecosystems, and prepare for future challenges.
Credit: NASA
Representation of Digital Earth Australia Hotspots tool. Credit: https://hotspots.dea.ga.gov.au
In Australia, Earth Observation plays a critical role. Tools like DEA Hotspots use real-time satellite data to guide firefighters and emergency teams — turning numbers into action and saving lives on the ground.
Earth Observation goes beyond emergency response, using satellite data to help farmers grow more food with less water, guide city planners in creating cooler, greener neighborhoods, and support conservation efforts from the Amazon to the Australian Alps.
Credit: Getty
By tracking environmental changes and predicting risks like droughts and floods, this powerful “big data” is shaping smarter decisions that build a healthier, more sustainable planet for all.
Credit: Getty
Behind every map, model, and hotspot alert is maths — a lot of it.
Geospatial scientists use equations, algorithms, and statistical models to turn raw Earth Observation data into the insights that guide real-world decisions, analysing patterns, making predictions, and visualising change.
Credit: Getty
From disaster response to farming, city planning to conservation, Earth Observation data is helping us make smarter decisions, faster.
But the future needs more than satellites; it needs people with geospatial and mathematical skills who can interpret data from space and design the next generation of Earth Observation tools.
Credit: Getty images.