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86-510: Google Earth is a web and computer program that renders a 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery . The program maps the Earth by superimposing satellite images, aerial photography , and GIS data onto a 3D globe, allowing users to see cities and landscapes from various angles. Users can explore the globe by entering addresses and coordinates, or by using a keyboard or mouse . The program can also be downloaded on

172-433: A smartphone or tablet , using a touch screen or stylus to navigate. Users may use the program to add their own data using Keyhole Markup Language and upload them through various sources, such as forums or blogs . Google Earth is able to show various kinds of images overlaid on the surface of the Earth and is also a Web Map Service client. In 2019, Google revealed that Google Earth now covers more than 97 percent of

258-470: A 2021 labor strike demanding (among other things) a certain type of map. Web mapping has allowed for a more environmentally conscious way of navigating location. With the creation of web mapping, people do not have to use paper maps anymore, as it is accessible through the internet, benefiting our environment. Also, atlases or paper maps that were accessed could have been outdated. With web mapping, in real time, users are able to get step by step directions to

344-759: A browser application, Google Moon is a feature that allows exploration of the Moon. Google brought the feature to Google Earth for the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 2009. It was announced and demonstrated to a group of invited guests by Google along with Buzz Aldrin at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Google Moon includes several tours, including one for the Apollo missions , incorporating maps, videos, and Street View-style panoramas, all provided by NASA . Google Earth has numerous features that allow

430-988: A collaboration between Google and the Museo del Prado in Madrid , the museum selected 14 of its paintings to be photographed and displayed at the resolution of 14,000 megapixels inside the 3D version of the Prado in Google Earth and Google Maps . On April 15, 2008, with version 4.3, Google fully integrated Street View into Google Earth. Street View displays 360° panoramic street-level photos of select cities and their surroundings. The photos were taken by cameras mounted on automobiles, can be viewed at different scales and from many angles, and are navigable by arrow icons imposed on them. Using Street View on Google Earth, users can visit and explore 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites with historical context and pins for each. The sites include

516-412: A common use, web mapping can be used to learn more about culture and history. You can explore historical maps, cultural landmarks, natural features, parks, trails, report issues, natural hazards, pollution, and much more. By doing this, we are able to create a safer and more welcoming community to live in. As much as web mapping has helped simplify our lives, there are also negative social consequences to

602-497: A crash or traffic conditions, or may not take you on the most efficient route. To prevent more of these issues from happening, it is important to report unsafe road conditions or any limitations or uncertainties of any web mapping features. Sites In-Q-Tel In-Q-Tel ( IQT ), formerly Peleus and In-Q-It , is an American not-for-profit venture capital firm based in Arlington, Virginia . It invests in companies to keep

688-482: A feature that periodically adds in-program tours, often presented by scientists and documentarians. Google Earth has been viewed by some as a threat to privacy and national security , leading to the program being banned in multiple countries. Some countries have requested that certain areas be obscured in Google's satellite images, usually areas containing military facilities. The core technology behind Google Earth

774-509: A few companies , institutes and mapping agencies , requiring relatively expensive and complex hardware and software as well as skilled cartographers and geomatics engineers. Web mapping has brought many geographical datasets, including free ones generated by OpenStreetMap and proprietary datasets owned by HERE , Huawei , Google , Tencent , TomTom , and others. A range of free software to generate maps has also been conceived and implemented alongside proprietary tools like ArcGIS . As

860-413: A financial connection with a company the corporation had funded. In-Q-Tel's current president and CEO is Steve Bowsher. Original members of the board include Lee A. Ault, III, Norman R. Augustine , John Seely Brown , Stephen Friedman , Paul G. Kaminski , Jeong H. Kim , Alex J. Mandl , John N. McMahon , and William J. Perry . The chairman of the board is Michael M. Crow . The company lists

946-559: A location based on where they currently are located with the most current geographical information. It also allows you to choose routes with distances and estimated times of travel for each. You can even choose your mode of transportation like driving or walking. Another benefit is that web mapping has allowed more of the general population to access this technology because it is free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. It also gives us real-time updates about traffic and road conditions which can lead to safer travels. Although not

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1032-513: A major service provider in the country. In the academic realm, increasing attention has been devoted to both Google Earth and its place in the development of digital globes. In particular, the International Journal of Digital Earth features multiple articles evaluating and comparing the development of Google Earth and its differences when compared to other professional, scientific, and governmental platforms. Google Earth's role in

1118-476: A much higher resolution and information density than typical computer displays of the same physical size, and might be unreadable when displayed on screens at the wrong resolution . Various companies now offer web mapping as a cloud based software as a service . These service providers allow users to create and share maps by uploading data to their servers (cloud storage). The maps are created either by using an in browser editor or writing scripts that leverage

1204-645: A phenomenon in close to realtime (only a few seconds or minutes delay). They are usually animated. Data is collected by sensors and the maps are generated or updated at regular intervals or on demand. Animated maps show changes in the map over time by animating one of the graphical or temporal variables. Technologies enabling client-side display of animated web maps include scalable vector graphics (SVG), Adobe Flash, Java, QuickTime, and others. Web maps with real-time animation include weather maps, traffic congestion maps and vehicle monitoring systems. CartoDB launched an open source library, Torque, which enables

1290-608: A result, the barrier to entry for serving maps on the web has been lowered. The terms web GIS and web mapping are often used interchangeably, but the terms are distinct. Web GIS uses and enables web maps, and end users who are web mapping are gaining analytical capabilities from Web GIS, however Web GIS has more applications than web mapping, and web mapping can be accomplished without Web GIS. Web GIS emphasizes geodata processing aspects more involved with design aspects such as data acquisition and server software architecture such as data storage and algorithms, than it does

1376-460: A route of travel with provided directions and real time traffic and road condition updates. Of course, this is only possible with an internet connection. Populations that are associated with lower incomes may not have access to a mobile device with internet as they may not be able to afford it, limiting them of this resource. This technology might also be limiting to certain generations, as well. Younger generations have been cultured in technology for

1462-488: A similar resolution to those of the cities on Earth. Finally, there are many high-resolution panoramic images from various Mars landers, such as the Mars Exploration Rovers , Spirit and Opportunity , that can be viewed in a similar way to Google Street View . Mars also has a small application found near the face on Mars . It is called Meliza, a robot character the user can speak with. Originally

1548-466: A similar way to Street View. Google Earth includes multiple features that allow the user to monitor current events. In 2007, Google began offering users the ability to monitor traffic data provided by Google Traffic in real-time, based on information crowdsourced from the GPS-identified locations of cell phone users. In Google Earth 4.2, a flight simulator was added to the application. It

1634-678: A speaking feature. When you enter a destination, you can turn your volume on and the maps will speak your directions to you. This is not only convenient for visually impaired people, but also helps limit distractions while navigating. There have been concerns raised about the privacy and confidentiality of personal information while using web mapping. Web maps contain personal information such as locations, identities, or attributes of people, places, or things. If not properly secured, your information can be accessed, copied, or manipulated by unauthorized parties. This allows government agencies to create massive databases on individuals and their behaviors while

1720-443: A strategy to better serve its users. In 2021, Google replaced its layers feature with a new one on its Google Earth software. This replacement consolidated some layers, but also removed some layers and features. Google Earth's imagery is displayed on a digital globe , which displays the planet's surface using a single composited image from a far distance. After zooming in far enough, the imagery transitions into different imagery of

1806-517: A user can use placemarks to list interesting landmarks around the globe, then provide a description with photos and videos, which can be viewed by clicking on the placemarks while viewing the new layer in the application. In December 2006, Google Earth added a new integration with Misplaced Pages and Panoramio . For the Misplaced Pages layer, entries are scraped for coordinates via the Coord templates . There

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1892-485: A walking feature. This has created an opportunity for the population who might not have access to and/or afford to have a car. They are still able to take advantage of this technology to get to a destination by foot. Web mapping has also opened up new possibilities to those who might struggle with a vision disorder. More than a quarter of the world’s population (about 2.2 billion people) suffer from vision impairment. Web mapping has accommodated this large population by adding

1978-448: A way to stream large databases of mapping data over the internet to client software, a key part of the technology, and acquired patchworks of mapping data from governments and other sources. The product, called "Keyhole EarthViewer", was sold on CDs for use in fields such as real estate , urban planning , defense , and intelligence ; users paid a yearly fee for the service. Despite making a number of capital deals with Nvidia and Sony ,

2064-467: Is a cloud computing platform for processing satellite imagery and other geospatial and observation data. It provides access to a large database of satellite imagery and the computational power needed to analyze those images. Google Earth Engine allows observation of dynamic changes in agriculture, natural resources, and climate using geospatial data from the Landsat satellite program, which passes over

2150-478: Is a copyrighted map. Any derivative from Google Earth is made from data on which Google claims copyright under United States Copyright Law . Google grants licenses in this data allowing, among other things, non-commercial personal use of the images (e.g., on a personal website or blog) as long as copyrights and attributions are preserved. By contrast, images created with NASA's globe software WorldWind use The Blue Marble , Landsat , or USGS imagery, each of which

2236-429: Is a charity program, through which Google promotes and donates to various non-profit organizations. Beginning in 2007, donations are often accompanied by layers featured in Google Earth, allowing users to view a non-profit's projects and goals by navigating to certain related locations. Google Earth Outreach offers online training on using Google Earth and Google Maps for public education on issues affecting local regions or

2322-553: Is a feature that was introduced in Google Earth 4.2 on August 22, 2007, in a browser-based application on March 13, 2008, and to Android smartphones , with augmented reality features. Google Sky allows users to view stars and other celestial bodies. It was produced by Google through a partnership with the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, the science operations center for

2408-438: Is also a community layer from the project Misplaced Pages-World . More coordinates are used, different types are in the display, and different languages are supported than the built-in Misplaced Pages layer. The Panoramio layer features pictures uploaded by Panoramio users, placed in Google Earth based on user-provided location data. In addition to flat images, Google Earth also includes a layer for user-submitted panoramic photos, navigable in

2494-503: Is also used in geography games, notably of which is GeoGuessr . A popular browser based game, users are shown an image from Google Street View and must guess the location. The game was received with success upon its launch in May 2013, and skyrocketed to viral popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as many content creators streamed themselves playing it. Web mapping allows you to choose

2580-495: Is an application within Google Earth that is a version of the program for imagery of the planet Mars. Google also operates a browser-based version, although the maps are of a much higher resolution within Google Earth, and include 3D terrain, as well as infrared imagery and elevation data. There are also some extremely high-resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 's HiRISE camera that are of

2666-457: Is an increased number of dynamic web maps types, and static web map sources. Analytical web maps offer GIS analysis. The geodata can be a static provision, or need updates. The borderline between analytical web maps and web GIS is fuzzy. Parts of the analysis can be carried out by the GIS geodata server. As web clients gain capabilities processing is distributed. Realtime maps show the situation of

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2752-711: Is available for about 5 percent of the oceans. This can be seen in the Hudson off New York City, the Wini Seamount near Hawaii, and the Mendocino Ridge off the U.S. Pacific coast. Google has programs and features, including within Google Earth, allowing exploration of Mars , the Moon , the view of the sky from Earth and outer space , including the surfaces of various objects in the Solar System . Google Sky

2838-497: Is currently the standard version of the Google Earth desktop application as of version 7.3. The Pro version includes add-on software for movie making, advanced printing, and precise measurements, and is available for Windows , macOS , and Linux . Discontinued in December 2008, Google Earth Plus was a paid subscription upgrade to Google Earth that provided customers with the following features, most of which have become available in

2924-464: Is data integrity and quality. Web maps rely entirely on data sources that could potentially be inaccurate, outdated, or corrupted. If the data is not verified and updated regularly, it can affect the reliability of the web maps. Web mapping can also be vulnerable to data tempering, spoofing, or injection attacks, where false or harmful data can be inserted into web maps. There may also be less threatening situations like when web maps may not be updated on

3010-725: Is in the public domain . In version 5.0, Google introduced Historical Imagery, allowing users to view earlier imagery. Clicking the clock icon in the toolbar opens a time slider, which marks the time of available imagery from the past. This feature allows for observation of an area's changes over time. Utilizing the timelapse feature allows for the ability to view a zoom-able video as far back as 38 years. Google Earth shows 3D building models in some cities, including photorealistic 3D imagery made using photogrammetry . The first 3D buildings in Google Earth were created using 3D modeling applications such as SketchUp and, beginning in 2009, Building Maker , and were uploaded to Google Earth via

3096-754: The 3D Warehouse . In June 2012, Google announced that it would be replacing user-generated 3D buildings with an auto-generated 3D mesh. This would be phased in, starting with select larger cities, with the notable exception of cities such as London and Toronto which required more time to process detailed imagery of their vast number of buildings. The reason given is to have greater uniformity in 3D buildings and to compete with Nokia Here and Apple Maps , which were already using this technology. The coverage began that year in 21 cities in four countries. By early 2016, 3D imagery had been expanded to hundreds of cities in over 40 countries, including every U.S. state and encompassing every continent except Antarctica. In 2009, in

3182-531: The Central Intelligence Agency , and other intelligence agencies, equipped with the latest in information technology in support of United States intelligence capability. The name "In-Q-Tel" is an intentional reference to Q , the fictional inventor who supplies technology to James Bond . Originally named Peleus and known as In-Q-It, In-Q-Tel was founded by Norm Augustine , a former CEO of Lockheed Martin , and by Gilman Louie , who

3268-857: The Central Intelligence Agency's Directorate of Science & Technology in the 1990s and promoted the importance of rapidly advancing information technology for the CIA. In-Q-Tel now engages with entrepreneurs , growth companies, researchers, and venture capitalists to deliver technologies that provide superior capabilities for the CIA , DIA , NGA , and the wider intelligence community . In-Q-Tel concentrates on three broad commercial technology areas: software , infrastructure and materials sciences . Former CIA director George Tenet said, We [the CIA] decided to use our limited dollars to leverage technology developed elsewhere. In 1999 we chartered ... In-Q-Tel. ... While we pay

3354-913: The Great Pyramid , the Taj Mahal , Sagrada Família , the Dolomites , the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , and the Great Sphinx . In 2019, Walt Disney World partnered with Google to create Pixar Street View. A unique activation that enabled viewers to search for hidden Pixar Easter eggs in Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios through street view. This creative collaboration elevated Pixar's iconic tradition of hiding Easter eggs in films and introduced it to an immersive new platform. Introduced in Google Earth 5.0 in 2009,

3440-611: The Hubble Space Telescope . Alberto Conti and his co-developer Carol Christian of STScI planned to add the public images from 2007, as well as color images of all of the archived data from Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys. Then-newly released Hubble pictures were added to the Google Sky program as soon as they were issued. New features such as multi-wavelength data, positions of major satellites and their orbits as well as educational resources are provided to

3526-692: The Netscape Plugin API (which the Google Earth API relies on) by the end of 2016. On November 16, 2016, Google released a virtual reality version of Google Earth for Valve 's Steam computer gaming platform. Google Earth VR allows users to navigate using VR controllers, and is currently compatible with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual reality headsets . On September 14, 2017, as part of Google Earth VR's 1.4 update, Google added Street View support. Google Earth Outreach

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3612-754: The SOCOM - DIA operation Able Danger ], and to adapt the technology that online booksellers use and convert it to scour millions of pages of documents looking for unexpected results. In-Q-Tel sold 5,636 shares of Google , worth over US$ 2.2 million, on November 15, 2005. The shares were a result of Google's acquisition of Keyhole, Inc , the CIA-funded satellite mapping software now known as Google Earth . In August 2006, In-Q-Tel reviewed more than 5,800 business plans and invested approximately $ 150M in more than 90 companies. As of 2016, In-Q-Tel listed 325 investments, but more than 100 were kept secret, according to

3698-463: The Washington Post . The absence of disclosure can be due to national security concerns or simply because a startup company doesn’t want its financial ties to intelligence publicized. In-Q-Tel is a Virginia-registered corporation, legally independent of the CIA or any other government agency. The corporation is bound by its Charter agreement and annual contract with the CIA , which set out

3784-512: The German creators of Terravision . The series, which was shown on Netflix is prefaced by an episode of interviews with the ART+COM developers of Terravision and their legal representative. One of the co-founders of Keyhole has published a first-hand account claiming to debunk the origins, timelines and interpretations depicted in the fictionalized miniseries. Not shown in the mini-series was that

3870-569: The Google Earth Plug-in API to operate within a web browser . As of September 1, 2015, the program now uses the open-source program CesiumJS, due to the Google Earth Plug-in being discontinued. Liquid Galaxy is a cluster of computers running Google Earth creating an immersive experience . On September 30, 2010, Google made the configuration and schematics for their rigs public, placing code and setup guides on

3956-562: The Google Earth community and also through Christian and Conti's website for Sky. Also visible on Sky mode are constellations, stars, galaxies, and animations depicting the planets in their orbits. A real-time Google Sky mashup of recent astronomical transients, using the VOEvent protocol, is provided by the VOEventNet collaboration. Other programs similar to Google Sky include Microsoft WorldWide Telescope and Stellarium . Google Mars

4042-710: The Google Ocean feature allows users to zoom below the surface of the ocean and view the 3D bathymetry . Supporting over 20 content layers, it contains information from leading scientists and oceanographers . On April 14, 2009, Google added bathymetric data for the Great Lakes . In June 2011, Google increased the resolution of some deep ocean floor areas from 1-kilometer grids to 100 meters. The high-resolution features were developed by oceanographers at Columbia University's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory from scientific data collected on research cruises. The sharper focus

4128-563: The Liquid Galaxy wiki. Liquid Galaxy has also been used as a panoramic photo viewer using KRpano, as well as a Google Street View viewer using Peruse-a-Rue Peruse-a-Rue is a method for synchronizing multiple Maps API clients. Google Earth has been released on macOS , Linux , iOS , and Android . The Linux version began with the version 4 beta of Google Earth, as a native port using the Qt toolkit . The Free Software Foundation considers

4214-520: The amount of distractions while driving. Drivers can alter their focus away from the road to their device very easily, which could result in a multitude of  negative social consequences and safety concerns. While there are many benefits to web mapping allowing anyone to access, create, and distribute maps, many have raised ethical concerns. The web facilitates the spread of misinformation, and people without strong understanding of cartography can publish seemingly authoritative products that may mislead

4300-462: The annual Forest Landscape Integrity Index . Since then, Earth Engine has been used in the production of hundreds of scientific journal articles in many fields including: forestry and agriculture, hydrology, water quality monitoring and assessment, natural disaster monitoring and assessment, urban mapping, atmospheric and climate sciences and soil mapping. Earth Engine has been free for academic and research purposes since its launch, but commercial use

4386-481: The application when opened, requiring an Internet connection. Imagery resolution ranges from 15 meters of resolution to 15 centimeters. For much of the Earth, Google Earth uses digital elevation model data collected by NASA 's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission . This creates the impression of three-dimensional terrain, even where the imagery is only two-dimensional. Google asserts that every image created from Google Earth using satellite data provided by Google Earth

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4472-486: The bills, In-Q-Tel is independent of CIA. CIA identifies pressing problems, and In-Q-Tel provides the technology to address them. The In-Q-Tel alliance has put the Agency back at the leading edge of technology ... This ... collaboration ... enabled CIA to take advantage of the technology that Las Vegas uses to identify corrupt card players and apply it to link analysis for terrorists [ cf. the parallel data-mining effort by

4558-405: The creation of dynamic animated maps with millions of records. Twitter uses this technology to create maps to reflect how users reacted to news and events worldwide. Collaborative maps are a developing potential. In proprietary or open source collaborative software, users collaborate to create and improve the web mapping experience. This type of web mapping is the most popular or familiar amongst

4644-403: The development of a free compatible client for Google Earth to be a High Priority Free Software Project . Google Earth was released for Android on February 22, 2010, and on iOS on October 27, 2008. The mobile versions of Google Earth can make use of multi-touch interfaces to move on the globe, zoom or rotate the view, and allow to select the current location. An automotive version of Google Earth

4730-531: The end-user reports themselves. The term location-based services refers to web mapping consumer goods and services. Web mapping usually involves a web browser or other user agent capable of client-server interactions. Questions of quality, usability, social benefits, and legal constraints are driving its evolution. A first classification of web maps has been made by Kraak in 2001. He distinguished static and dynamic web maps and further distinguished interactive and view only web maps. Today there

4816-701: The entire globe. In June 2008, training was given to 20 indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest, such as the Suruí , to help them preserve their culture and raise awareness for the problem of deforestation. Non-profit organizations featured in Google Earth via the Outreach program include Arkive , the Global Heritage Fund , WaterAid , and the World Wide Fund for Nature . Google Earth Engine

4902-419: The expansion of "Earth observing media" has been examined to understand how it is shaping a shared cultural consciousness regarding climate change and humanity's capacity to treat the Earth as an engineerable object. Google Earth is featured prominently in the 2021 German miniseries The Billion Dollar Code , which serves as a fictionalized account of a 2014 patent infringement lawsuit brought against Google by

4988-446: The free Google Earth. One such feature was GPS integration, which allowed users to read tracks and waypoints from a GPS device. A variety of third-party applications have been created which provide this functionality using the basic version of Google Earth by generating KML or KMZ files based on user-specified or user-recorded waypoints. Google Earth Enterprise is designed for use by organizations whose businesses could take advantage of

5074-560: The majority of their lives, so web mapping is an easy resource for them to use. However, older generations tend to be less efficient with technology, as it was not around for the majority of their lifetimes. This can make it difficult for the older generation to understand how to use web mapping when planning their travels. They will often resort to paper maps or a GPS, as that is what is comfortable to them, even though those resources are less efficient and are more outdated than web mapping. As web mapping has become more advanced, they have added

5160-486: The patent owned by ART+COM and used to challenge Google was completely invalidated, after it was shown that another so-called TerraVision, this one at the Stanford Research Institute, predated ART+COM's ideas by several years. Download coordinates as: Web mapping The advent of web mapping can be regarded as a major new trend in cartography. Until recently, cartography was restricted to

5246-426: The population today. Some collaborative web mapping projects are: Online atlases are collections of maps in a specific period of  time like general reference maps, thematic maps, and geographical information. The traditional atlas goes through a remarkably large transition when hosted on the web. Atlases can cease their printed editions or offer printing on demand. Some atlases also offer raw data downloads of

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5332-404: The private sector keeps records of personal information. It can also lead to privacy breaches, data loss, or legal liabilities. To prevent these issues from happening, mostly in a work setting, you need to encrypt your data, use secure protocols and servers, and apply access control and authentication mechanisms. Another possible barrier created by web mapping that may challenge web map security

5418-496: The program's capabilities, for example by having a globe that holds company data available for anyone in that company. As of March 20, 2015, Google has retired the Google Earth Enterprise product, with support ended on March 22, 2017. Google Earth Enterprise allowed developers to create maps and 3D globes for private use, and host them through the platform. GEE Fusion, GEE Server, and GEE Portable Server source code

5504-518: The progress of the war in a way that had never been seen before. Public interest in the software exploded and Keyhole servers were not able to keep up with demand. Keyhole was soon contacted by the Central Intelligence Agency 's venture capital firm, In-Q-Tel , and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency , for use with defense mapping databases, which gave Keyhole a much-needed cash infusion. Intrinsic Graphics

5590-477: The public. This saw significant attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the prevalence of improper maps on dashboards contributed to the infodemic . Web maps require the internet to host, so they are subject to link rot , making information inaccessible. Unlike physical maps, this can have major impacts on the historical record if the web map is the only source for the data it presents. Web mapping

5676-714: The relationship between the two organizations. In-Q-Tel's mission (to support the Intelligence Community's technical needs) is promoted by the In-Q-Tel Interface Center (QIC), an office within the CIA that facilitates communication and relationships between In-Q-Tel and government intelligence organizations. While In-Q-Tel is a nonprofit corporation, it differs from IARPA and other models in that its employees and trustees can profit from its investments. A Wall Street Journal investigation found that in 2016, nearly half of In-Q-Tel's trustees had

5762-466: The same area with finer detail, which varies in date and time from one area to the next. The imagery is retrieved from satellites or aircraft . Before the launch of NASA and the USGS's Landsat 8 satellite, Google relied partially on imagery from Landsat 7 , which suffered from a hardware malfunction that left diagonal gaps in images. In 2013, Google used datamining to remedy the issue, providing what

5848-545: The same places on the Earth every sixteen days. Google Earth Engine has become a platform that makes Landsat and Sentinel-2 data easily accessible to researchers in collaboration with the Google Cloud Storage. Google Earth Engine provides a data catalog along with computers for analysis; this allows scientists to collaborate using data, algorithms, and visualizations. The platform provides Python and JavaScript application programming interfaces for making requests to

5934-618: The servers, and includes a graphical user interface for developing applications. An early prototype of Earth Engine, based on the Carnegie Institute for Science's CLASlite system and Imazon 's Sistema de Alerta de Desmatamento (SAD) was demonstrated in 2009 at COP15 , and Earth Engine was officially launched in 2010 at COP16 , along with maps of the water in the Congo Basin and forests in Mexico produced by researchers using

6020-457: The service providers API's. Compared to traditional techniques, mapping software has many advantages. The disadvantages are also stated. This section contains some of the milestones of web mapping, online mapping services and atlases. Web mapping technologies require both server-side and client-side applications. The following is a list of technologies utilized in web mapping. Web maps have become an essential tool for many, as illustrated by

6106-515: The small company was struggling to pay and retain employees. Fortunes for the company changed in early 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Iraq , when Dave Lorenzini (Director at Keyhole) enticed CNN , ABC , CBS and other major news networks to use their sophisticated 3D flyby imagery to illustrate Baghdad Activities for viewers, in exchange for on-air attribution. During the invasion, It was used extensively by Miles O'Brien and other on-air broadcasters, allowing CNN and millions of viewers to follow

6192-414: The tool. In 2013, researchers from University of Maryland produced the first high-resolution global forest cover and loss maps using Earth Engine, reporting an overall loss in global forest cover. Other early applications using Earth Engine spanned a diverse variety of topics, including: Tiger Habitat Monitoring, Malaria Risk Mapping, Global Surface Water, increases in vegetation around Mount Everest, and

6278-521: The underlying geospatial data sources. Static web pages are view only without animation or interactivity . These maps were often used before technological advancements allowed the user to interact. These files are created once, often manually, and infrequently updated. Typical graphics formats for static web maps are PNG , JPEG , GIF , or TIFF (e.g., drg ) for raster files, SVG , PDF or SWF for vector files. These include scanned paper maps not designed as screen maps. Paper maps have

6364-422: The use of web mapping. There have been concerns raised about the privacy of personal information while using web mapping. It allows government agencies to create massive databases on individuals and their behaviors while the private sector keeps records of personal information. This issue continues to be challenged and negotiated as web mapping has become more relevant. As the use of web mapping has increased, so has

6450-492: The user to learn about specific places. These are called "layers", and include different forms of media, including photo and video. Some layers include tours, which guide the user between specific places in a set order. Layers are created using the Keyhole Markup Language , or KML, which users can also use to create customized layers. Locations can be marked with placemarks and organized in folders; For example,

6536-597: The world, and has captured 10 million miles of Street View imagery. In addition to Earth navigation, Google Earth provides a series of other tools through the desktop application, including a measure distance tool. Additional globes for the Moon and Mars are available, as well as a tool for viewing the night sky . A flight simulator game is also included. Other features allow users to view photos from various places uploaded to Panoramio , information provided by Misplaced Pages on some locations, and Street View imagery. The web-based version of Google Earth also includes Voyager,

6622-498: Was In-Q-Tel's first CEO. In-Q-Tel's mission is to identify and invest in companies developing cutting-edge technologies that serve United States national security interests. According to the Washington Post, In-Q-Tel started as the idea of then CIA director George Tenet . Congress approved funding for In-Q-Tel, which was increased in later years. Origins of the corporation can also be traced to Ruth A. David , who headed

6708-488: Was a free beta service, allowing users to place a version of Google Earth into web pages. The API enabled sophisticated 3D map applications to be built. At its unveiling at Google's 2008 I/O developer conference, the company showcased potential applications such as a game where the player controlled a milktruck atop a Google Earth surface. The Google Earth API has been deprecated as of December 15, 2014, and remained supported until December 15, 2015. Google Chrome ended support for

6794-482: Was described as a successor to the Blue Marble image of Earth, with a single large image of the entire planet. This was achieved by combining multiple sets of imagery taken from Landsat 7 to eliminate clouds and diagonal gaps, creating a single "mosaic" image. Google now uses myriad sources to provide imagery in a higher quality and with greater frequency. Imagery is hosted on Google's servers, which are contacted by

6880-420: Was made available in the 2010 Audi A8 . On February 27, 2020, Google opened up its web-based version of Earth to browsers like Firefox, Edge, and Opera. Google Earth Pro was originally the business-oriented upgrade to Google Earth, with features such as a movie maker and data importer. Up until late January 2015, it was available for $ 399/year, though Google decided to make it free to the public. Google Earth Pro

6966-404: Was originally a hidden feature when introduced in 2007, but starting with 4.3, it was given a labeled option in the menu. In addition to keyboard control, the simulator can be controlled with a mouse or joystick. The simulator also runs with animation, allowing objects such as planes to animate while on the simulator. Another flight simulator, GeoFS , was created under the name GEFS-Online using

7052-486: Was originally developed at Intrinsic Graphics in the late 1990s. At the time, the company was developing 3D gaming software libraries. As a demo of their 3D software, they created a spinning globe that could be zoomed into, similar to the Powers of Ten film. The demo was popular, but the board of Intrinsic wanted to remain focused on gaming, so in 1999, they created Keyhole, Inc., headed by John Hanke . Keyhole then developed

7138-804: Was prohibited until 2021, when Google announced a preview of Earth Engine as a commercial cloud offering and early adopters that included Unilever, USDA and Climate Engine. The software has been criticized by a number of special interest groups , including national officials, as being an invasion of privacy or posing a threat to national security . The typical argument is that the software provides information about military or other critical installations that could be used by terrorists. Google Earth has been blocked by Google in Iran and Sudan since 2007, due to United States government export restrictions. The program has also been blocked in Morocco since 2006 by Maroc Telecom,

7224-604: Was published on GitHub under the Apache2 license in March 2017. Google Earth Studio is a web-based version of Google Earth used for animations using Google Earth's 3D imagery. As of June 2021, it is preview-only and requires signing up to use it. It features keyframe animation, presets called "Quick-Start Projects", and 3D camera export. Google Earth 9 is a version of Google Earth first released on April 18, 2017, having been in development for two years. The main feature of this version

7310-426: Was sold in 2003 to Vicarious Visions after its gaming libraries did not sell well, and its core group of engineers and management including Brian McClendon and Michael Jones transitioned to Keyhole with Hanke remaining at the head. At the time, Google was finding that over 25% of its searches were of a geospatial character, including searches for maps and directions. In October 2004, Google acquired Keyhole as part of

7396-455: Was the launching of a new web version of Google Earth. This version added the "Voyager" feature, whereby users can view a portal page containing guided tours led by scientists and documentarians. The version also added an "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, represented by a die, which takes the user to a random location on Earth along with showing them a "Knowledge Card" containing a short excerpt from the location's Misplaced Pages article. The Google Earth API

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