What if you took New York City and placed it on another planet? Life as we know it would cease to exist. Although we rarely think about our infinite universe, the fact that we live where we do is a miracle.

The following illustrations were made with the help of Marilyn Vogel. She has a Ph.D. in Astrobiology, worked at NASA Ames for five years, and now teaches science at the university level. The descriptions for each of the different planets below were provided by her.

Earth

Mercury

Mercury has but a thin envelope of gas that barely qualifies as an atmosphere. The inexorable solar wind continually strips the planet of any gases that might be captured or retained by gravity. The tenuous atmosphere consists primarily of hydrogen making the atmosphere transparent to the darkness of space and the withering radiance of the nearby Sun. The solar wind interacts with the planet’s magnetic field to blast columns of dust and charged particles up into the atmosphere that then become a comet-like tail, evident as the sparkling haze shown in the upper atmosphere. The landscape is perforated with impact craters and covered in volcanic dust, similar to Earth’s moon.

Venus

Due to its prolific volcanic activity, Venus is blanketed in an atmosphere of CO2 with clouds of sulfuric acid. This creates a yellowish envelop of hot, sulfurous air that obscures the NYC skyline and the nearby sun. The landscape is devoid of water and covered by craters, lava, sulfurous dust and other features created by Venus’ volcanoes.

Mars

Mars has an exceedingly thin and cold atmosphere composed primarily of CO2. Mars’ atmosphere has an oxidizing chemistry that converts the abundant iron materials on its surface into various forms of rust, evident as the tawny landscape. Strong convective currents in the atmosphere also stir up frequent dust storms that can cover vast expanses of the planet and last for months. The NYC skyline is thus caked in dust and framed in Mars’ dusty red atmosphere.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest of the outer gas giant planets. Its atmosphere is so large and thick that the hydrogen and helium gas components condense into liquid, and even metallic forms near the base of the atmosphere. At around 100 km height above this liquid surface, the air has a similar air pressure to Earth’s atmosphere at the surface, but has a reducing chemistry that would burnish any metal surface, including that of the Statue of Liberty. The NYC skyline is depicted at this 100 km level, floating in the atmosphere. This area of Jupiter’s sky is a vast body of clear gaseous hydrogen. NYC is nestled between Jupiter’s clouds of water, ammonia and sulfurous gases (the sallow clouds below) that sometimes converge into powerful thunderstorms (seen erupting below). Above the skyline hangs a yellow haze of hydrocarbons.

Saturn

Saturn has a similar atmosphere to that of Jupiter, containing a mixture of hydrogen and helium that condense at the base of the atmosphere. NYC is shown at about 100 km above this liquid surface, where the clear hydrogen resides at similar pressures to Earth’s atmosphere and contains soft cream colored clouds of ammonia ice with occasional thunderstorms (shown below the cloud deck).  As with Jupiter, the atmospheric gases are highly reducing and would slowly dissolve any metal oxide surface like the green patina that covers the Statue of Liberty. White clouds of ammonia and light hydrocarbons float by above the skyline.

Uranus

Uranus is a cold gas giant that rotates perpendicular to the plane of its orbit.  It has very high winds speeds at certain latitudes due to the uneven heating of its surface. These winds are faster than the most powerful hurricane on Earth and would thus obliterate structures like the Statue of Liberty. The atmosphere is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium with occasional clouds of methane and bands of hydrocarbon haze, shown as the horse tail clouds above the skyline. The atmosphere also contains a considerable fraction of methane, giving the air a beautiful aquamarine tint.

Neptune

Neptune is the outermost planet of the solar system and thus the darkest. Like the other gas giants it experiences extreme winds that would destroy buildings and other structures. Neptune’s atmosphere consists primarily of hydrogen and helium with traces of ammonia and water giving it an azure tint. Ammonium and water ice condensate hangs as light colored cirro-stratus clouds above the skyline. Neptune’s atmosphere is the coldest place in the solar system.

Our way of life depends on a set of conditions which does not exist anywhere else on our universe. Let’s protect what we have.

For media inquiries, please contact me at nickolaylamm@gmail.com

A)   Parents’ House

Pros:

Assuming your parents’ house is near your college campus (0-4 hours away), this option is essentially free!

Cons:

Your parents could passive aggressively mention how you’re taking up the room they could be using as an extra walk-in closet. Which leads to other conversations about how they could be spending their summer vacation in Maui, but no, they’re still paying for your rent, and you should really start paying for your phone bill, too.

Verdict? Depending on whether or not free storage space is worth an awkward (and potentially costly) guilt-trip from your parents, this may or may not be an option for you.

B)   Self Storage

Pros

You can keep your items in your college town, which makes it less of a hassle to move back in next semester. You can also find public storage locations with month-to-month or short-term leases, so you don’t have to pay for storage space when you’re not using it.

Cons

It’s…not free.

Verdict? Your best bet. Although renting a storage unit can be more costly than moving your belongings back to your parents house, you can usually find facilities in your area that offer student discounts and free rental trucks to cut down on some of the costs. Added bonus: no nagging.

C)   Leave it on the curb for people to scavenge

Pros

Best choice for the lazy. All you have to do is literally walk your furniture out to the curb.

Cons

You’ll get no money for your belongings and you won’t have any furniture when you move into your next place.

Verdict? Sounds like a dumb move on your part, but the human vultures will thank you for it.

D)   Craigslist

Pros

Score some cash for your belongings if you’re ready to part with them; you can also have people come pick it up for you, which means no heavy lifting on your part.

Cons

You may end up meeting a sketchy dude in an alleyway—or at your house.

Verdict? A great way to make some extra cash, if you don’t want to keep any of your old furniture and are fine with meeting some… er… interesting people.

E)   Donate

Pros

Feel good about yourself by giving your belongings away to a charitable organization, such as Goodwill.

Cons

You won’t get any money out of it, and you’ll probably have to move it yourself. You’ll have to be a) not lazy and b) an awesome person for this option to fly.

Verdict? If you’re planning on buying new furniture at your next apartment or just need some good karma headed your way, this is the way to go.

If you decide to go the self storage route, StorageFront can help you find a reliable storage facility in your college town. Easily compare prices and amenities at several locations near you. Be sure to call and ask about available student discounts before reserving your storage space online!

Have you ever wondered how the rise in sea levels will impact our surroundings? Here, we have projected the outlook of three major locations: Washington D.C. and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Miami and South Beach, and New York City and the Statue of Liberty.

The white cones on the maps show the location and angle of the camera that is seen in the corresponding illustrations. Thank you to Remik Ziemlinski from Climate Central for providing the high resolution sea level rise maps and for helping me understand the science behind sea level rise.

Map of Washington D.C. today:

Map of Washington D.C. with 25 ft. of sea level rise:

The Jefferson Memorial today:

The Jefferson Memorial with 25 ft. of sea level rise:

Map of Miami today:

Map of Miami with 25 ft. of sea level rise:

South Beach today:

South Beach with 25 ft. of sea level rise:

Map of New York City today:

Map of New York City with 25 ft. of sea level rise:

The Statue of Liberty today:

The Statue of Liberty with 25 ft. of sea level rise:

Our video representation of the sea level rise:

The same holds true when renting self storage. The most significant value of customer reviews is that they add substantial legitimacy to a business or service.  When a storage owner claims to lease “clean, ready-to-rent storage units,” prospective renters can find security in reading a selection of testimonials from previous tenants that reveals that the clean, professional service that was advertised was also delivered.

Customer feedback is a very helpful tool to use when you want to validate the services of a company before moving valuable and important items into storage, but what’s even more important to consider is leaving reviews for your fellow consumers, too. If you receive excellent service while renting at your neighborhood storage facility, leave a review so that others in your community can reap the benefits of a great business, too; and if you have a bad experience at a specific location, express your opinion and help future renters avoid the same situation.  Additionally, supplying information about an unsatisfactory experience can help an individual property improve their operations.

There will always be a demand for an array of goods and commodities and there will always be a supply, but you should both take advantage of and contribute to customer reviews, so that society as a whole both supports and utilizes the best products and services in the marketplace.

1)    Storage units are more practical (and less fattening) than most gifts

Why buy your girlfriend a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers when you could rent her a storage unit? Chocolate can be consumed in a matter of seconds and, well, flowers die, but storage units are forever. They have practical use and offer convenient rental options for short or long-term use. Plus, you won’t hear your girlfriend complaining about how her jeans don’t fit after you give her a storage unit.

2)    If you’re single, you can isolate yourself from your roommate and her annoying boyfriend

Does the sound of kissing make you cringe? Sometimes, hiding in your bedroom isn’t enough. Avoid potential couple run-ins and make-out sessions by quarantining yourself in a storage unit. Most of your fellow renters only stop by once a month to pay the bill (so, there’s no romance to evade), and once you make it to your private space you can unwind and drink a bottle of wine all to yourself.

3)    Store the gifts from all of your admirers in one place

Storage units come in a variety of sizes, so you can store almost anything in them. Rent a mini storage locker to stow your collection of love letters, or lease a garage-sized storage space for that gigantic teddy bear. Also, most public storage facilities are equipped with 24 hour video surveillance, so vocalize your new storage unit location and see if you can catch your secret admirer in the act.

4)    Watch a romantic movie and cry in peace

Whether it’s Pretty Woman, When Harry Met Sally or The Notebook, if you watch a romantic film on Valentine’s Day (or on any day if you’re me), chances are you’re going to cry. Why not sob in the privacy of your own storage unit? Many locations offer storage units with power, so rent one and hook up your TV, DVD player and a cozy lamp. Snuggle up with yourself and let the tears flow. I guarantee you’ll feel better when it’s all done.

5)    If you’re in a fresh relationship, avoid the pressures of the Hallmark-holiday and hide out in a storage unit

So, you’ve only been dating your significant other for a week or two, and it’s a little soon to put yourself in a situation where you might be forced to say that four-letter word. Start the relationship off right with a small lie, and tell your partner that you have to work. Then, create some relationship space by camping out in a storage unit for the night until Cupid clocks out. Many facilities offer climate control, so rent a storage unit with heat and keep warm while convincing yourself that your fib had good intentions.

Express your love this Valentine’s Day by renting a storage unit. No matter what your associations with the holiday may be, a storage unit is an affordable and useful way to participate. Rest assured that however romantic or crappy your Valentine’s Day is, there’s never a bad time for some extra space.

However, maybe you’re a real sports fan and want to get away from the people who don’t care about the Harbaugh brothers or don’t even know which teams are playing. To escape and watch the game in solace, why not turn your storage unit into a man cave and watch it there? A storage facility can be the perfect getaway from fair-weather fans, the apathetic mooches that just show up for the snacks, or even life itself.

Although dubbed a “man” cave, I’m sure women sports fans that share the same frustrations can use it all the same. Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make your sports watching/getaway room a success:

• Walls adorned with your team’s memorabilia
• Several TVs on which to watch the big game
• Mini fridge, filled with your favorite brand of light domestic beer
• Wall mounted bottle opener
• Pool table – to have enough room to play billiards, though, you’ll need at least a 20×20 storage unit
• Mounted deer head (have to make it feel like home, right?)
• List of “Man Cave” rules (i.e. eat bacon with every meal, only root for the Ravens, etc)

Of course, you’ll need to be sure to get a storage unit with electrical outlets to keep all your TVs on and your brewskies cold. I hope your new hideout treats you well, and that it has the potential to be a permanent (wo)man cave.

Today, this style of television makes up a large majority of TV production, but could certain “reality” shows be scripted? “Storage Wars” star, Dave Hester, would use his famous tagline (which was probably written by scripters) and say, “Yuuup!”

According to an article in The Huffington Post, Hester claims that, “[The show] regularly ’salts’ [or plants] the storage lockers that are the subject of the auctions…with valuable or unusual items to add dramatic effect, even going so far as to stage entire storage units.”

Despite Hester’s accusations, if viewers doubted that the show was even partially rigged before this, they were in serious reality TV denial. Although the cast stumbles upon common storage items like antiques, paintings, ATVs and diamond bracelets, it’s very unlikely that the show would be fortunate enough to uncover rarities such as samurai swords, gold certificates and BMWs on a regular basis.

In all reality (sorry, I had to do it), it doesn’t matter if this genre of show is staged – America is a society of voyeurs, and we can’t get enough of this crap. I’ll admit that I spend a few hours a week on my couch watching “The Real Housewives” of whatever group of women is desperate enough for dramatic attention. Reality television, for most of us, is a guilty pleasure that gives us an entertaining opportunity to laugh, cry or gossip about the fortunate (or misfortunate) lives of others. Deadline reporter, Dominic Patten, said it best during this ABC News special… “Reality TV is a little bit like sausage, I think; you might love the way it tastes, but you don’t necessarily want to know how it’s made.”

You may think, “If celebrities are so rich, why don’t they just build a house to keep their things in, or use one of the 30+ spare bedrooms in their mansions for extra storage? It seems more logical than going to a place where such common folk populate.”

Maybe it’s because self storage is…

Safe:

Celebrities often get their homes broken into; it’s no secret where they live, and they keep all their expensive crap out in the open. However, many storage facilities take several precautions to ensure their renters’ belongings stay safe. Electronic gate access, managers who live onsite and sometimes even guard dogs are used to ensure unwanted robbers stay far away. Many self storage locations often have 24 hours security cameras, too, so maybe these actors just want the attention.

Confidential:

Unless your name is on the rental contract, you won’t have access to what’s being stored or any of the renter’s information. Unless, of course, the tenants forget to pay their bills for a few months and everything inside can go up for auction. If the renter stays on top of his or her payments, their belongings will be sealed off to the world like TomKat’s divorce records.

Affordable:

Sure celebrities are millionaires, so why do they care about saving a little extra dough? Well, enough of them seem to be jailed for tax evasion, so it’s not too much of a stretch. Self storage is much cheaper than building a pool house to store your things in. Maybe they can use the money they save to start some charity about saving polar bears; those rights to Sarah McLachlan songs can’t be cheap.

Whatever the reason truly is, the A-List can’t seem to get enough of self storage, while the rest of Americans can’t wait for them to leave their bills unpaid so we can see what’s inside.

The StorageFront sheep have taken a break from their usual indifference to join the forces of harmony with their new friend, the Storage Hound. Their rendition of “White Christmas” (a tribute to the Drifters’ classic urban harmony circa 1954) has brought laughter to children and tears of joy to the overly sentimental.

So why were the StorageFront sheep the stars of this year’s holiday music video?

“Apart from being really great at digesting grass and being just super livestock animals in general, they make stellar background singers. But many don’t know that. It’s been overlooked in society for hundreds of years,” said Rick Tinney, Creative Director and mastermind behind the video. “Some of the more ambitious sheep even go solo and land extremely successful careers.”

After their 15 minutes of fame dies down, the sheep plan to return to grazing on pastures of any and all greens near their favorite self storage facilities. They may make a comeback eventually, to prove they weren’t just “one-hit wonders.”