EARTH HOUR 2011

People, governments, companies, and organizations observed Earth Hour 2011 as 134 countries switched off lights worldwide Saturday, March 26, at 8:30 p.m. The movement to raise awareness about energy consumption took on added relevance with a Japanese nuclear power station crippled after the earthquake and resulting tsunami there. Gathered here are a series of before-and-after photographs from this year - which (starting with the second one below) will fade between "on" and "off" when clicked.

A view of Sydney Harbor four days before Earth Hour, and during the observance on March 26

Towers in Hong Kong's central financial district (left to right) Bank of China Tower, Cheung Kong Centre, HSBC headquarters, Standard Chartered Bank and Legislative Council (front left) are pictured before and during Earth Hour.

The Las Vegas Strip seen before and during Earth Hour from the House of Blues Foundation Room inside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

The Welcome Statue fountain is seen before and during Earth Hour in Jakarta.

The Taipei 101 tower in Tapei before and during Earth Hour.

The Lions Gate Bridge before and as lights were turned off for Earth Hour, as seen from from West Vancouver

The National Stadium (top), also known as the "Bird's Nest", and the National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube", both icons of the 2008 Olympics, are seen before and during Earth Hour observations in Beijing.

Singapore's central business district lit up before Earth Hour, and dimmed during the observance

The temple of the Parthenon in Athens shines brightly before Earth Hour, and dims during the observance.

The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin lit up before and dark during observance of Earth Hour.

The lights around Budapest's downtown, with the oldest Hungarian bridge 'The Chain Bridge', and Buda Palace shine brightly before and go dim during Earth Hour.

Gotaplatsen Square and Kungsportsavenyn Street before and during Earth Hour in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Times Square in New York observes Earth Hour...somewhat.

Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue is shown before and during Earth Hour in Brazil.

LIBYA:UN AIR STRIKES AID REBELS

Vehicles belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi explode after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20.
After weeks of debate, the United Nations finally approved a no-fly zone in Libya, helping rebels fighting Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy at perhaps the last possible moment. Rebels had been driven back by the Libyan army to their last stronghold, the eastern city of Benghazi, and appeared ready to be overrun there as well. Two nights of bombardment by coalition forces have sent the army into retreat, and a missile struck Khadafy's compound in Tripoli, but the final outcome of the conflict is far from clear. Collected here are images from the last few days of fighting. For an earlier Big Picture post on the conflict, see the links below.


Libyan rebels carry an injured comrade following a failed attempt to take the town of Ajdabiya from Moammar Khadafy's forces on March 21 as news reports said Libyan government forces pulled back 60 miles from rebel-held Benghazi after Western-led air strikes destroyed much of their armor.

A Libyan jet bomber crashes after being shot down in Benghazi on March 19 as Libya's rebel stronghold came under attack, with at least two air strikes and sustained shelling of the city's south sending thick smoke into the sky.

A rebel fighter supporter shoots into the air as she reacts to the news of the withdrawal of Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy's forces from Benghazi March 19. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters) #

Rebel fighters ride on a tank captured from Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy's forces in Benghazi March 19.

A man fires his pistol in the air during a celebratory rally after the United Nations approved a no-fly zone over the country on March 18 in Tobruk, Libya. Libya declared an immediate cease-fire after the UN vote but reports indicated that Moammar Khadafy's forces were still shelling two cities.

A rebel fighter shows hand grenades found on fighters loyal to Moammar Khadafy after they were killed by rebel fighters in Benghazi March 19. Khadafy's forces pushed into the rebel-held city of Benghazi on Saturday, defying world demands for an immediate ceasefire.

A tank belonging to forces loyal to Moammar Khadafy explodes after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20.

A man stands in front of a burning vehicle belonging to forces loyal to Moammar Khadafy after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20.

A Libyan rebel holds the rebellion flag as he steps over wrecked military vehicles belonging to Moammar Khadafy forces hit by French warplanes on March 20. Dozens of Khadafy military vehicles were destroyed in morning air strikes by the coalition west of Benghazi, as a semblance of normality returned with cars out on the road and street markets reopened in the rebel bastion.

A rebel fighter shouts in front of a burning vehicle belonging to forces loyal to Moammar Khadafy after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20.

An elderly rebel fighter gestures in front of a destroyed tank belonging to forces loyal to Moammar Khadafy after an air strike by coalition forces in Benghazi March 20.

A man looks at a destroyed tank belonging to forces loyal to Moammar Khadafy after an air strike by coalition forces, along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20.

Curious Libyan onlookers take pictures of dead African teenagers, members of Moammar Khadafy's forces hit by airstrikes by French warplanes in al-Wayfiyah west of Benghazi, on March 20 in al-Wayfiyah.

Rebel fighters point their weapons at a vehicle at a checkpoint during a gun battle in downtown Benghazi on March 20. Sporadic explosions and heavy gunfire broke out in central Benghazi at around 10 p.m. and lasted about 40 minutes, a Reuters witness reported from the city.

Libyan rebels retreat with their injured under heavy fire following a failed attempt to take the town of Ajdabiya from Moammar Khadafy's forces on March 21.

JAPAN: HOPE FADE FOR FINDING MORE SURVIVORS

A Japanese Self Defense Force soldier wades through water as he checks for bodies in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture on March 17.
As officials desperately tried to prevent disaster at a damaged nuclear facility, hopes faded for finding survivors amid the rubble as snow and cold blanketed the areas most affected by the earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan. Residents were allowed back into damaged areas for the first time since the disaster to inspect what might be left of their homes. And flights out of Japan were full as foreign nationals and others left the country. The Big Picture continues special daily coverage of the disaster through tomorrow, with later updates anticipated as events merit.

A dog receives a radiation exposure scanning in Koriyama March 17.

Vehicle headlamps illuminated a disaster area in Yamada town in Iwate prefecture on March 16.

A couple cross a large intersection in front of blacked out light displays in Tokyo's Ginza district March 17. In the famous shopping mecca - and elsewhere in the nation's capital - public apprehension over a brewing nuclear disaster is draining the streets and stores of the crowds that normally define this dynamic, densely packed city.

Passengers sleep on the floor as they wait for their flight at Narita airport, east of Tokyo March 17. Public trust in the Japanese government faces its biggest test since World War Two over the handling of the nation's nuclear crisis.

JAPAN :CONTINUING CRISIS

An elderly man and woman push a cart carrying their salvaged belongings in Miyako, in Iwate prefecture, on March 16.

As if conditions for survivors and emergency workers weren't bad enough after the massive earthquake and tsunami, snow fell today in chilly Northern Japan. The dire situation prompted the first-ever televised address to the nation from Emperor Akihito, who made no such speech even after the Kobe earthquake in 1995. As aid and personnel poured into Japan, the nuclear crisis prompted neighboring countries to step up inspections of Japanese foods, and prompted governments worldwide to study their own nuclear energy policies. Meanwhile the grim work of recovery continued.


Vehicle headlamps illuminate the disaster area of Yamada town in Iwate prefecture on March 16. The official toll of the dead and missing following a devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened Japan's northeast coast has topped 11,000, with 3,676 confirmed dead.


The 4,724-ton freighter M.V. Asia Symphony lies on a pier after being hit by the tsunami at the port in Kamaishi city, Iwate prefecture on March 16. All 17 Filipino crew (next picture) are safe and living at an emergency shelter near the port

Survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the eastern coast of Japan rest in the Miyako Shogako school sports hall, used as a shelter for evacuees, in Miyako town on March 16.

Policemen carry the bodies of victims retrieved from the debris in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, days after the area was devastated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 16.

Damage caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami is seen from a hill overlooking the city of Kesennuma on March 16.

In this handout image provided by the U.S. Air Force, a house is seen adrift off the coast of northeastern Japan from a HH-60G helicopter surveying the damage stricken area as part of Japan's earthquake and tsunami recovery effort March 14.

Medical staff use a Geiger counter to screen a woman for possible radiation exposure at a public welfare center in Hitachi City, Ibaraki, March 16, after she was evacuated from an area within a 12.4 mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

A car lies among debris swept inland by the tsunami following the earthquake in Minami Sanriku, Miyagi prefecture.

Rescue workers search for a body after digging a car out of the debris in Minamisanriku town, Miyagi Prefecture, March 16.

A doll lies on the ground after the March 11 tsunami and earthquake in Natori in Miyagi Prefecture on March 16

FOR DISCOVERY, A FAREWELL SPIN

The space shuttle Discovery accomplishes separation from the International Space Station to prepare for its final Earth landing, March 7.


Space shuttle Discovery's next mission will be to awe and inspire those who visit it at the Smithsonian Institution. NASA's workhorse shuttle was retired after completing its trip last week to the International Space Station -- that’s 39 missions covering 5,750 orbits, 150 million miles, and almost a year in space since it first lifted off in 1984. It's name was inspired by the exploring ships of the past, including one that plied the Hudson Bay in the early 1600s seeking a northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. Discovery carried some of NASA's most-distinguished astronauts, including Eileen Collins, the first female commander, Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian to fly on a shuttle, and Senator John Glenn, who returned to space at 76. In its last mission, Discovery dropped Robonaut 2, the first dexterous humanoid robot in space, at the space station.


Space shuttle crew members, from left, Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Benjamin Alvin Drew Jr., Steve Bowen, pilot Eric Boe, and commander Steve Lindsey left their quarters at Kennedy Space Center to board Discovery for its final mission in space, Feb. 24.

Space shuttle Discovery rolls to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its final mission, Jan. 31.

Space shuttle Discovery lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida bound for the International Space Station on its 39th and final flight.

Space shuttle Discovery lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Feb. 24.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and other management watch the launch of Discovery (STS-133) from the firing room at Kennedy Space Center, Feb. 24

Space shuttle Discovery (below) continues into orbit as the two solid rocket boosters separate from the spacecraft after launch, Feb. 24.

Discovery approaches the International Space Station, Feb. 26.

Carrying the Italian-built Permanent Multipurpose Module, Express Logistics Carrier 4, and Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, Discovery approaches the International Space Station, Feb. 26.

The underside of the nose of Discovery was visible as the space shuttle performed a back-flip for the rendezvous pitch maneuver during its approach to the International Space Station, Feb. 26

The Earth's blue breaks through clouds beneath Discovery as the space shuttle approaches the International Space Station, Feb. 26.

With clouds below it, the space shuttle Discovery approaches the International Space Station for docking, Feb. 26.

The crew cabin and forward payload bay of the space shuttle Discovery, Feb. 26.

The Expedition 26 crew photographed the aft portion of Discovery's main engines, part of the cargo bay, vertical stabilizer, and orbital maneuvering system pods during a survey of the vehicle's approach prior to docking, Feb. 26.

The nose, the forward underside, and crew cabin of the space shuttle Discovery were photographed during maneuvers prior to docking, Feb. 26.

The Earth's blue breaks through clouds beneath Discovery as the space shuttle approaches the International Space Station, Feb. 26.

Astronaut Alvin Drew began his shared spacewalking duties with fellow astronaut Steve Bowen, Feb. 28.

Astronauts Steve Bowen (left) and Alvin Drew (right) participate in the mission's first spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station, Feb. 28.

Space shuttle Discovery astronaut Steve Bowen works outside the International Space Station during the STS-133 mission's second spacewalk, March 2.

Astronauts Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew work on the International Space Station during the mission's first spacewalk, Feb. 28.

From left, astronauts Benjamin Alvin Drew Jr., Michael Barratt, and Steve Bowen prepare for the mission's first spacewalk in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station, Feb. 28.

Astronauts, from left, Alvin Drew, Cady Coleman, and Michael Barratt enjoy a light moment in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station as the mission's first spacewalk draws to a close, Feb. 28.

In the grasp of the International Space Station's Canadarm2, the Italian-built Permanent Multipurpose Module was transferred from space shuttle Discovery's payload bay to be permanently attached to the Earth-facing port of the station's Unity node, March 1.

Discovery astronaut Steve Bowen works outside the International Space Station during the STS-133 mission's second spacewalk, March 2.

The docked space shuttle Discovery (STS-133) and the Canadian-built Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator, appear together in this photo, Feb. 27.

Astronaut Steve Bowen works outside the station during the STS-133 mission's second spacewalk, March 2.

The space shuttle Discovery accomplishes separation from the International Space Station to prepare for its final Earth landing, March 7.

Space shuttle Discovery glides in for a landing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., completing its 39th and final flight, March 9. Since 1984, Discovery spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles.

The space shuttle Discovery touches down at Kennedy Space Center, March 9.

US space shuttle Discovery comes to a stop after landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, March 9.

Discovery commander Steve Lindsey (second right) and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (right) lead the crew after the shuttle landed, March 9.

Discovery crew members, from left, commander Steve Lindsey, pilot Eric Boe, and mission specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt, and Nicole Stott attend a news conference after their return from space, March 9.

A landing crew worker checks the space shuttle Discovery after landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, March 9.

The space shuttle Discovery touches down at Kennedy Space Center, March 9.

A landing crew worker checks the space shuttle Discovery after landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, March 9.

Space shuttle Discovery's place in history began, left, with its maiden launch from Kennedy Space Center, Aug. 30, 1984. The first crew included, counter-clockwise from center in right photo: commander Henry Hartsfield Jr., pilot Michael Coats, mission specialists Steven Hawley and Judith Resnik, payload specialist Charles Walker, and mission specialist Richard Mullane, Sept. 6, 1984.

Astronaut Dale A. Gardner, left, holds a "For Sale" sign, making light of the status of the retrieved communications satellite below in the cargo bay of the space shuttle Discovery, November 1984.

In the first launch since the space shuttle Challenger disaster on Jan. 28, 1986, NASA employees cheered on the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building of the Kennedy Space Center as Discovery lifted off successfully, Sept. 29, 1988.

STS-95 mission commander Curtis Brown (left) and payload specialist John Glenn held a press conference on Discovery's aft flight deck of Discovery, Nov. 1, 1998.


A Boeing 747 carried space shuttle Discovery back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida after a weather-related landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California, Nov. 2, 2000.

Astronaut Steven Smith worked at the end of Discovery's remote manipulator system as he did maintenance work on the Hubble Space Telescope, Feb. 15, 1997.

Discovery commander Eileen Collins, shown with astronaut John Phillips, was the first female commander of a space shuttle, July 28, 2005.

Discovery was towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility after successfully completing Mission 51-A with a crew of five, Nov. 16, 1984.

Discovery was rolled back to the Orbiter Processing Facility after its final flight landing at the Kennedy Space Center, March 9.