EarthTime

UNLOCKING THE POWER OF DATA

EarthTime enables users to interact with visualizations of the Earth's transformation over time. Combining huge data sets with decades of images captured by NASA and European Space Agency satellites, EarthTime brings to life patterns of natural change and human impact.



Experts and journalists from all over the world use EarthTime to create interactive, data-driven stories.

VIEW STORIES

EarthTime is completely open-source. Dive into the datasets to reveal connections and patterns of change.

EXPLORE EARTHTIME

EARTHTIME STORIES

Users of EarthTime can view compelling animations accompanied by fact-based narratives from international experts. Drawing upon EarthTime's vast data library, the stories below are curated in honor of different global events and themes. Explore these stories to learn more about our collective impact on the planet.



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EARTHTIME IN ACTION

From schools to global events, EarthTime is regularly used to share data-driven stories with the public. It has been featured at the World Economic Forum's global meetings since 2015 in sessions lead by respected policy-makers, NGOs, and business leaders. It has also been used in TED talks and museum installations, by international organizations and innovative educators. EarthTime's flexibility and evolving data library provide unrivaled access to relevant and verified data for all users.







ABOUT EARTHTIME

Who We Are

The Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment Lab (CREATE Lab) explores socially meaningful innovation and deployment of robotic technologies.


We aim to empower a technologically fluent generation by fostering experiential learning opportunities. From environmental sensing to data visualization, our work encourages authentic learning opportunities, evidence-based public discourse, and collective action.


EarthTime was launched in partnership with the World Economic Forum. The Forum draws on its expert network to provide data, author EarthTime stories, and present in its meetings.


Misson and Values

EarthTime is underpinned by CREATE Lab's vision to promote data literacy, inspire meaningful dialogue, and democratize access to data for everyone in an inclusive and transparent way.


By showing the results of our past decisions with visual evidence through time, we create the scaffolding that supports positive future decision-making. We can empower our decision makers in public and private spheres to make more informed, forward-facing choices.


Together, we can move from "Is this happening?" to "What do we do about it"?


Democratizing Data

The What & Why

What: The CREATE Lab has technology that provides interactive and visual representations of large data sets which reveal patterns that encourage discovery and facilitate communication.

Why: Data is important. We aim to create data visualizations based on the needs of everyone, including global leaders, educators, and community members.



We wish to personally thank the following sponsors of EarthTime:

  • JP Morgan Chase
  • S&P Global
  • Heinz Endowments



FAQ

Our data comes from respected sources around the world that are dedicated to collecting, researching, and publishing information about human and Earth change over time. Our partners range from government agencies like NASA and the US Census, to non-governmental agencies like the Igarape Institute and the United Nations, and to university research programs at Oxford, Harvard, University of Maryland. In each case, we have forged relationships with data providers that give us the right to freely share their data with you through EarthTime visualizations. Our data sources vary dramatically, and share one common thread: a desire to understand our one home.

Our data comes from many sources and might therefore have its own unique timespan. In some cases, such as certain trade flows and financial numbers, our data precedes 1900. In other cases, such as Landsat satellite imagery, our data starts with Landsat 5's launch in 1984, up until the present. We try our best to ensure that the most recent data will be added to our visualizations as soon as possible.

We pre-process massive data sets using new big-data techniques to create animated visualizations of high-resolution information at different time scales. Relying on many of the same strategies used by video game designers, EarthTime uses GPU's in your computer to create a new capability for interactively exploring extreme-sized data.



CONTACT









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