Vital Signs explores the differences we could all make, if we viewed the planet’s health as an extension of our own. In collaboration with the design studio Fadó Fadó we have crafted an exhibition that uses thermal imagery as its main design element, to make us think about our connection with our environment while exploring art works within the exhibition.

A thermal image of London taken from the outside of The Shard.

“A multisensory and responsive environment exploring VITAL SIGNS through the medium of heat energy using thermochromic materials at a human and environmental scale, inspired by a planetary perspective to sensing” - Fadó Fadó.

Using thermal imagery and thermochromic furniture throughout the exhibition, it allows us to see the world in a new light, from the delicate petals of daisies, the places we interact with, and aerial views of London - through a thermal lens. The thermal imagery provides a unique perspective, showing the temperature and vitality of various elements in our surroundings and highlighting the interconnectedness of all life on Earth.

The photos were taken in our local surroundings from the paths we walk on, to the top of The Shard London, to make us think about our relationship with our environment. This is a small thermal image of what a city looks like, but thermal imagery is used world wide, and its vitally important to understand what is happening to the Earth.

To give us a deeper and scientific understanding of the vital importance of thermal imagery and how it is used, we spoke to Professor Martin Wooster, Professor of Earth Observation Science at King’s College London. Martin is an expert on satellite Earth observation and the quantification of landscape fire. Here he shares an insight into the importance of thermal imaging and how it is being used to support and understand our changing planet:

We are beginning to see significant changes on Earth that we are observing through thermal imaging. There are changes in fire regimes, rapid warming of certain regions (e.g higher latitudes) and changes in the mean ocean temperature of some areas occurring over decades.

From satellites we can perform thermal imaging in different wavelengths of infrared radiation, and this allows us to perform many investigations. Here are just a few examples:

Measure the temperature of the global ocean surface accurately and over decades, to detect the signature of climate change and compare this to that forecast by climate models so that we can be more confident in the quality of the model predictions
Measure the temperature of the land surface over decades, enabling climate change to be assessed not only on the air temperature measures derived from relatively sparse metrological measurement stations, but essentially almost everywhere
Identify the location, size, timing and strength of wildfires - and use these measures over decadal time scales to assess whether fire regimes are changing in response to climate shifts

Thermal imaging is crucial for tracking wildfires because wildfires are very hard to predict and occur in places and at times that are unexpected - and often remote - so they cannot be easily monitored from the ground and aircraft that can do the job are in short supply and are expensive to operate. Satellites can monitor the whole globe for fires multiple times per day - and this information can be fed to response agencies in almost real time. The satellite data can be used to keep track of existing fires movements, identify new fires soon after they occur, and calculate the fire emissions into the atmosphere which can help forecast what areas will be affected by the smoke and allow them to take remedial action e.g informing public to cease sporting events planned and try to avoid breathing too much contaminated air.

Learn more here: wildfire.geog.kcl.ac.uk

Visit Vital Signs: another world is possible at Science Gallery London until 17 May 2025.

Our Planet’s Vital Signs: The Importance of Thermal Imaging