Yesterday, The New York Times announced that the Empire State Building will be projecting its most ambitious light show yet-- and we don't mean on the roof (although those are still cool). 

They're taking it to the next level with a magnificent slide show of endangered species meant to inspire a greater collective effort to protect Earth's wildlife.

Covering 33 floors, the slideshow will feature "a snow leopard, a golden lion tamarin and manta rays, along with snakes, birds and various mammals and sea creatures (will be) projected onto a space 375 feet tall and 186 feet wide." 

The project is a collaboration between Travis Threlkel and his associate Louie Psihoyos.

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The images will be generated by 40 badass stacks of 20,000 lumen projectors on the roof of a building across the street of the Empire State Building's southern facade. 

And it even gets a little cooler.

jasmine1221 By @racingextinction via @RepostWhiz app: Cast your eyes to the sky at the #EmpireStateBuilding on 8.1.15 and witness something amazing happen for the first time in history. ‪#‎RacingExtinction‬ @empirestatebldg (#RepostWhiz app)

As The New York Times pointed out, "The Empire State Building was an obvious choice for the project, not only because of its high-profile global status, but also because, after a refurbishing in 2009, it became known as one of the most sustainable buildings in New York."

It's great that the most elaborate and wild light show ever attempted on The Empire State Building is happening for a bunch of reasons. The Empire State Building as a canvass for this event is symbolic to the world in a multidimensional way.

mlplxx #Repost @cbri21 with @repostapp. ・・・ #Repost @suzie00712 with @repostapp. ・・・thanks again @suzie00712 ...This Saturday 8-01-15 in #NYC, the Empire Strikes Back for endangered species! Cast your eyes to the sky from 9pm-12am! #Repost @empirestatebldg ・・・ We’re very excited to unveil a new kind of lighting at the Empire State Building! On Saturday night 8.01.15, the @oceanicpreservationsociety will project a looping video of #endangered animals onto the south side of the #EmpireStateBuilding to draw attention to their rapid #extinction. Brought by Travis Threlkel and award-winning director of #TheCove, Louie Psihoyos. #endextinction @racingextinction #snowleopard #animals #NewYork #NYTimes #saveourplanet #racingextinction #newyorkcity #saveourwildlife #manhattan #endangeredspecies

Web-awareness is spiked on the heels of viral outrage about Cecil the Lion, but more importantly, the motivation of the event itself isn't a flash in the pan; it's due to a widening awareness of, and a global effort towards, conservation of the whole planet's ecosystem.

Threlkel and Psihoyos refer to the event as a “weapon of mass instruction.”

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Mr. Threlkel explained, “We’re going to try to create something beautiful. Not bum people out. Hopefully, this is one big domino. If we can tip it, it would be great.”

Great is an understatement for the effect it could have. It's a feat of art and technology and a photon explosion of great intention. We can't wait to see what the zillions of amazing photographers and videographers of New York City do with the multitude of perspectives around the city.

So don't forget, this Saturday, August 1st-- get to a rooftop near you for the coolest thing you may see on this city's skyline in a very, very long time. 

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