04/19/2021
Google Earth time-lapses show a changing planet
Google Earth has launched a time-lapse feature that lets users wind back the clock and see how the world has changed over several decades. 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.
■Class discussion: Could showing environmental changes over time change opinions about climate change? Why or why not? Would you want to see how your town or neighborhood has changed? How much energy does Google use every day to run its computers? Is the company contributing to climate change? How much computing time and power was used to create the time time-lapse feature?