Time-Lapse Video Reveals Humanity’s Impact on the Earth Since 1984

Google has worked with experts at Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab to develop a time-lapse feature within Google Earth, which allows you to see firsthand the changes to our planet since 1984.

In the biggest update to Google Earth since 2017, you can now see our planet in an entirely new dimension — time. With Timelapse in Google Earth, 24 million satellite photos from the past 37 years have been compiled into an interactive 4D experience. Now anyone can watch time unfold and witness nearly four decades of planetary change….

To explore Timelapse in Google Earth, go to g.co/Timelapse — you can use the handy search bar to choose any place on the planet where you want to see time in motion…

As we looked at what was happening, five themes emerged: forest change, urban growth, warming temperatures, sources of energy, and our world’s fragile beauty. Google Earth takes you on a guided tour of each topic to better understand them.

You can get a feel for the relentless change in the short video above, and learn more about the new iteration of Google Earth over at the Google blog.

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