Google Earth time-lapse feature winds clock back 37 years (BBC Article)

[King of Memes]

Summary

 Basically, you can go back in time on google earth. Basically, you can see how places looked several years ago. 

 

Quotes

Quote

 

The feature uses millions of satellite images from the past 37 years to let people scroll through time. 

It allows people to see, for example, the retreat of glaciers alongside global warming, or the deforestation of the Amazon over time. 

The company says it is the biggest update to Google Earth in four years. 

Google Earth uses similar technology to the widely used Maps product, but is more focused on geology and exploration than public transport and directions.

 

Quote

But the time-lapse feature is global - meaning users can just type in any location and experiment with whatever images are available. 

Google is heavily marketing the tool as a way to raise awareness of climate change and other environmental issues. 

It pointed to the shifting sands of Cape Cod and the drying of Kazakhstan's Aral Sea as striking examples of how the landscape is changing. 

But it also documents the boom in towns and cities across the world - from the rapid expansion of Las Vegas to the building of artificial islands in Dubai. 

"We have a clearer picture of our changing planet right at our fingertips - one that shows not just problems but also solutions, as well as mesmerisingly beautiful natural phenomena that unfold over decades," Google said.

My thoughts

 I think this is cool. Sort of like the web archive, but for google earth.

 

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56760060

[Murasaki]

I thought it was going to be limited to just a few locations but damn I can see this anywhere I want. It's pretty neat to see stuff like urbanization but also kinda depressing with deforestation and lakes drying up.

[jaslion]

5 minutes ago, Murasaki said:

I thought it was going to be limited to just a few locations but damn I can see this anywhere I want. It's pretty neat to see stuff like urbanization but also kinda depressing with deforestation and lakes drying up.

It is also great that this data is now basically fully public so you can use it for many projects to help the environment.

[StDragon]

27 minutes ago, Murasaki said:

I thought it was going to be limited to just a few locations but damn I can see this anywhere I want. It's pretty neat to see stuff like urbanization but also kinda depressing with deforestation and lakes drying up.

Ever see bacterial colonies grow on a Petri dish? This is like the macro version of it, but on a much slower timeline. 

[FakeATF]

47 minutes ago, King of Memes said:

-snip-

Hey! I know that place! That's only an hour from where I live.

[GravityHurts]

This was actually really cool to go through.