Google Earth allows users to turn back time

Google Earth revealed its first big update since 2017 on Thursday. The highlight is a new time-lapse feature that helps you see how much the planet has changed in the past 37 years. As we know, Timelapse has existed separately for years now. However, now, the company is integrating it directly into Google Earth.

Google Earth Timelapse enabled you to search anywhere on the system’s extensive worldwide map. The update includes imagery from the past 37 years, letting users track changes between 1984 to 2020. Google says it used 24 million satellite photos over the past 37 years to create the feature. The firm also announced it would update Timelapse annually with new images over the next decade.

Google says users can also see how the planet changed during any period. Alternatively, they can watch a time-lapse video and see how global warming, deforestation, and urban expansion affected a particular region.

There are also five thematic stories created in the Voyager feature of Google Earth. It will provide users guided tours on forest change, urban growth, warming temperatures, and mining and renewable energy sources.

The New Feature Is Available on Mobile Phones, Tablets, and Desktop Computers

The feature allows users to turn back time and track significant changes around the world. It could help journalists, scientists, and researchers, as they can use data on the depletion of forests, global warming, and other climate-related changes around the globe.

Remarkably, over two million processing hours across thousands of machines in Google Cloud were needed to compile 20 petabytes of satellite imagery into a single 4.4 terapixel-sized video mosaic. It is the equivalent of 530,000 videos in 4K resolution.

The feature is available for mobile phones, tablets, and computer users. Additionally, users can access it through the ship’s wheel icon on Google Earth. The tech giant has also uploaded 800 Timelapse videos in both 2D and 3D for public use. Users can see the videos on YouTube or in MP4 format.