Google Earth now lets you 'travel back in time' to visit your neighborhood from 80 years ago

[Garth Gator]

Image generated on AI

 

Ever wished you could hop in a time machine and see how your hometown looked decades ago? Well, Google Earth is about to make that dream a reality—minus the flux capacitor. The tech giants latest update is set to take users on a geographical field trip through time.

 

Google Earth’s new feature allows users to explore historical satellite and aerial imagery dating as far back as 80 years. This means you can now witness the transformation of cities, landscapes, and even your own neighborhood over the course of nearly a century, taking in a bird’s-eye view of history as it unfolds beneath your cursor.

 

The update covers a wide range of locations, with cities like London, Berlin, Warsaw, and Paris getting the time-travel treatment. Some images reach as far back as the 1930s.  For example, users can compare 1938 San Francisco—where bustling ports catered to industrial shipping—with the modern-day version, now lined with restaurants and cruise ships.

 

 

 

But this tool isn’t just for satisfying curiosity or indulging in nostalgia. It also serves as a powerful aid for understanding environmental changes. Users can track the effects of climate change and human activity on forests, lakes, and other natural features. For instance, you can observe how Lake Oroville in California has fluctuated due to droughts and subsequent rainfall, all within a span of five years.

 

 

Historical imagery aside, the company has also expanded its Street View coverage to nearly 80 new countries and enhanced image quality using advanced AI models. These updates work in tandem to create a more immersive and detailed exploration experience to visually connect the dots between past and present.

 

The new features are set to roll out across both web and mobile versions of Google Earth in the coming weeks. 

 

• https://mashable.com/article/google-earth-historical-satellite-imagery 
• https://www.androidauthority.com/google-maps-earth-update-3484665/ 

 

 

Images: Google, opening image generated on AI