The foundations of Google Earth aose from one man with a mission – to replace many maps with a singular one that pinpoints several locations within one area.
Keyhole, a company partially-funded by the CIA, ran with his idea to develop the technology further. In October of 2004 Keyhole was purchased by Google for an undisclosed amount. Larry and Serge moved the team to Building 45 at Google’s HQ in Cupertino and dubbed the genesis of Google’s new project Google Earth.
I was amazed to discover how Google Earth obtains data. From what I gather, initial topographical information is gathered by satellites. To flesh out the satellite information, Google Earth depends on locals to submit “layers” containing detailed info about city or neighborhood’s streets, points of interest, and more. These layers can be turned on or off within the program.
Besides contributing layers, users are taking the mapping to an entirely new level by creating personalized maps detailing items such as favorite restaurants, walking paths, and favorite places to vacation. Sites like Yelp and Socialight overlap personalized maps with social networking – creating a uniquely new experience.
This social collaboration has extended beyond contributing to where we live and what we know. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has collaborated with Google Earth to display visual evidence of the destruction in Darfur.
Learn more about how Google Earth works here:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/google-earth.htm
