Google Earth Presents 4D “Timelapse” Experience: Showing Decades of Changes on Earth

Google CEO Sundar Pichai through his latest tweet has announced one of the biggest news updates related to Google Earth.

Google Earth’s “Timelapse” feature offers a 4D experience of how time unfolds.

Also, one can witness all global changes that took place over the past 4 decades through Timelapse.

24 million satellite photos taken over the past 37 years were provided by the US Geological Survey, NASA, European Space Agency, and the European Commission.

NASA’s Earth Science Director Karen St Germain told that the NASA-Google partnership is to explore connections with nonprofit organizations and the commercial sector.

This is one of the open science initiatives of NASA for creating a diverse and collaborative culture through sharing data with the public freely.

Dave Applegate of the US Geological Survey said that the US Government’s investment in data distribution and Landsat observation helped produce the content of Google Earth’s Timelapse.

Google and other such companies are unfolding this time series of data for creating new products and services.

Google compiled all the photos into an interactive 4D experience.

Sundar Pichai said, “Our planet has seen a rapid environmental change in the past half-century — more than any other point in human history.”

The compilation allows us to watch the changing landscapes of the Earth.

The Director of Google Earth Rebecca Moore said, “For the past 15 years, billions of people have turned to Google Earth to explore our planet from endless vantage points. We like to say if Google Maps is about finding your way, Google Earth has been about getting lost.”

As per Google Earth’s Director, the 4D Timelapse video has been created to “entertain and enlighten people”, and it’s the “biggest video” about the planet ever created.

Whether it’s climatic changes, bushfire damage, or urban development — you can easily watch how the Earth has altered in different areas over time.

It has become possible due to European Union and the US government’s commitments to open and accessible information.

Google will constantly work with its partners and will keep updating Google Earth every year.

They hope that the view will “ ground debates, encourage discovery, and shift perspectives about some of our most pressing global issues.”

Matthias Petsche, European Commission’s Director of Space, said that European Union will continue providing data globally in the future decades.

“Together. We can amplify our efforts to understand Earth as a system and to protect and improve life here on our home planet,” Moore added.

Takeaway

Timelapse is a handy tool.

It’s already being used by Carnegie Mellon University’s researchers.

It can be accessed by everyone.

Five themes have emerged — urban growth, forest change, source of energy, our world’s fragile beauty, and warming temperatures.

You can understand each of these by seeing them over time.

Head over to here to check out Timelapse.

Google has uploaded 800+ Timelapse videos for you.

It’s really shocking to witness the devastation of more beautiful places on Earth.

Hopefully, Timelapse will drive the positive change needed.

Originally published at https://www.reddit.com.