Dubai undertook a massive engineering project to create hundreds of artificial islands along its Persian Gulf coastline. Built from sand dredged from the seafloor and protected from erosion by rock breakwaters, the islands were shaped into recognizable forms, including a map of the world (shown here). Satellites images from the past decade have documented the islands' creation.

Credit: NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.