What gravity looks like

You're looking at a colourful portrait of the planet as a continuous gravity field. The map, which depicts (in false colour) the pull of gravity across the Earth, has been compiled on the basis of data collected by Europe's low-orbiting Goce satellite. The precise effects of gravity on the planet are of great interest not only to geophysicists and engineers, but also to oceanographers and environmental scientists. Read why here.

Image from the BBC (click to enlarge).