Is it the end of the world?

Is it the end of the world? Nasa picture suggests Dubai globe is sinking back into the sea. This is how the world looks like according to ambitious engineers in Dubai, but it is starting to look rather ragged around the edges.

The stunning image of the man-made archipelago was taken by an astronaut far above our Earth on the International Space Station.

It shows the World Islands development (on the right), sitting in shallow waters just off Dubai's coast.

Ragged around the edges: The World Islands development off the coast of Dubai - as seen here from space - doesn't look like a true representation of a map of the globe

When the project was launched in 2003, it was hoped that celebrities and the super-rich would snap up the 300 islands, which made up a map of the globe. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were even said to be thinking about buying Ethiopia.

Nakheel Properties created the foundations within five years, from 11billion cubic feet of sand and 47 million tonnes of rock. However, now it looks like the project will never be completed.

According to Nasa's Earth Observatory website: 'Little to no infrastructure development of The World is apparent in this astronaut photograph.'

Work inside the man-made lagoon stopped last year and the World Islands' website went ominously quiet. The last update is from 1 October 2008, announcing the completion of the foundations.

Then in November 2009, Dubai World, which owns Nakheel Properties, asked for a delay to repay $26billion in debt.

The world is not enough: The various islands appear to be merging together after work on the Dubai development was halted last year

Ambitious project: A graphic image shows how the islands were supposed to look

While officially the project has just been delayed, the islands are rapidly merging together and also appear to be sinking.

There is hardly better news for the Palm Jumeirah, seen on the left of the top picture. The centrepiece £800m Hotel Atlantis opened with much pomp in 2008.

The luxurious resort includes a giant aquarium and even has a £13,000 a night suite.

It prompted Joe Cita from Nakheel's to predict: 'Palm Jumeirah in and of itself will become one of Dubai's major tourist attractions.'

But a number of hotel developers, including Donald Trump, have since shelved their developments on the Palm due to the global recession.

Dubai's development has long been criticized by environmental activists, who say the construction of artificial islands hurts coral reefs and even shifts water currents. They point to growing water and power consumption.

The image was captured on January 13, 2010, by a member of the ISS Expedition 22 crew. He used a £3,000 Nikon D2Xs digital camera with a focal length of 400 mm to take the photograph. It was then enhanced to improve contrast.

Astronauts are asked to take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public. This seems particularly appropriate considering the huge public interest in what could be Dubai's greatest folly. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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