How to use the timelapse
Choose an example or drag the map to any place you like, then press Play or move the year slider. Each frame is a real satellite picture of that place on the same day of the year, so you are comparing like with like. If one year looks cloudy or hazy, switch the season: mid-January works well for desert cities, mid-July for northern places.
Famous changes to look for
- Aral Sea: once the world's fourth-largest lake, it has shrunk dramatically since the 1960s because rivers were diverted for farming. Watch the eastern basin almost disappear in the 2000s and 2010s.
- Dubai: zoom in on the coast to see the palm-shaped islands and new districts appear in the early 2000s.
- Las Vegas: the city spreads across the desert while nearby Lake Mead shrinks during long droughts.
- Amazon: look for straight-edged patches where forest has been cleared for farms and roads.
Where the images come from
This timelapse uses daily true-colour images from the MODIS camera on NASA's Terra satellite, launched in 1999, served through NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS). MODIS photographs the entire Earth every day at about 250 m per pixel. That is detailed enough to see cities, farmland, lakes, deltas and big islands, but not individual streets or buildings. Some frames have clouds, smoke or stripes where data is missing, because the satellite records whatever the weather was that day.
For changes before 2000 and much finer detail, the U.S. Geological Survey's Landsat archive goes back to 1972 at 30 m resolution. You can browse it free on the USGS EarthExplorer and NASA Worldview websites linked in the credits.
Frequently asked questions
How far back does the timelapse go?
To 2000, when the MODIS camera on NASA’s Terra satellite started sending daily images. Landsat archives go back further, to 1972.
Why can’t I zoom in to my street?
The imagery is about 250 m per pixel, which shows cities and landscapes, not individual buildings.
Why is one year cloudy?
Each frame is one real day. Try a different season to get clearer skies.
Can I use these images?
NASA imagery is generally public domain. Please credit NASA GIBS / MODIS when you share it.
More live Earth & Space tools
Data and credits: Imagery: NASA GIBS, MODIS Terra corrected reflectance (public domain). Further archives: NASA Worldview, USGS EarthExplorer (Landsat). Labels © OpenStreetMap contributors. Map library: Leaflet. See all Live Earth & Space tools and our credits page.