Aerial photos show ‘the human planet’—in all its beauty and pain

A photographer spent years hanging from a paraglider, and later operating drones, to get amazing views of the Earth.

On Friday, March 13, I returned one last time to National Geographic’s deserted offices, which had closed the day before for an indefinite period.

We had finished work on our April issue, devoted to the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day, and it had already been overtaken by…