World Heritage in danger: Big data and remote sensing can help protect sites in conflict zones

•54 out of 1073 World Heritage Sites (WHS) are listed as being in Danger.•Armed conflicts are responsible for listing 25 out of the 54 WHS as being in Danger.•We combined big data and remote sensing to quantify risk to WHS.•GDELT news fight events increased and night lights decreased near WHS in Danger.•Big data and remote sensing can be used in an early warning system to safeguard WHS.