An interesting new feature has been added to Google Earth that will soon allow “time travel

Announced on Google's blog along with an update to Street View, this new feature will allow users to view satellite and aerial photos from the past on Google Earth Google claims that some photos date back as far as 80 years

This is a way to see how an area has changed over time, or how natural or man-made events have rapidly altered the geography of a place An example given by Google is Lake Oroville Reservoir in northern California After years of drought, the reservoir was at an all-time low However, an unprecedented series of heavy rains that hit the state in 2023 filled the reservoir to its maximum capacity

On Street View, Google has updated images for 80 countries, providing new images of Australia, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, and Uruguay, among others

According to Google, this is thanks to new, more portable Street View cameras introduced in 2022 Google said in a post, “As our planet changes, these updated images will help keep the map fresh for people around the world”

The update includes Street View in four countries that previously had no Street View: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Namibia, Liechtenstein, and Paraguay

If, like me, you like to explore places like Street View, these updates and countries will be a fun way to spend an afternoon

Finally, Google announced that it is working on sharpening satellite imagery on Maps

Part of this includes the use of AI-powered cloud removal technology trained to remove things like clouds, cloud shadows, haze, and fog Google claims that the model is trained to retain real-world weather patterns and maintain visibility on maps such as “ice, snow, and mountain shadows”