Atmosphere of Earth (see the temperature section, below). Because the general pattern of the temperature/altitude profile is constant and measurable by means of instrumented balloon soundings, the temperature behavior provides a useful metric to distinguish atmospheric layers. In this way, Earth's atmosphere can be divided (called atmospheric stratification) into five main layers. Excluding the exosphere, the atmosphere has four primary layers, which are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. From highest to lowest, the five main layers are: The exosphere is the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere (i.e. the upper limit of the atmosphere). It extends from the exobase, which is located at
A Beautiful Planet lemur). The movie also reveals what the burning of the Brazilian rainforest looks like from space. Because rainforests are extremely concentrated biodiversity hotspots, the long plumes of smoke which the astronauts see rising from the Amazon jungle represent the extinction of species that might have led to the development of new pharmaceuticals, economically useful discoveries, or the advancement of scientific knowledge. The burning trees also add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and curtail the capacity of the forest to reduce carbon dioxide and increase oxygen. Even though "A Beautiful Planet" contains a few dire warnings regarding climate change and environmental