Time Travel on Google Maps

A recent update to Google Maps allows you to view past street views with the click of a clock. Over the years, the company has updated their snapshots as many as eight or nine times in large metropolitan areas, and now you can see for yourself how some of these landscapes have evolved by toggling between past versions.

Although the change to your screen is inconspicuous (the addition of a tiny clock icon in the upper left corner) the effort represented a huge overhaul for the Internet map giant, doubling the total number of still shots being stored. And, of course, the option isn’t available for street views everywhere. For every spot on the Map where Google’s vans have made multiple sweeps, there are many more where only one street view exists. Regardless, it’s an interesting tool for exploring how natural disasters or economic fortune have shaped our world in recent years.