Google Earth Engine shows stunning timelapse images of human impact on Earth

DEFORESTATION, construction, climate change. It can be hard to see just how much of an impact these things are having on our planet - until now.

DEFORESTATION, construction, climate change. There’s no doubt humans are changing life on Earth — but exactly how much of an impact we’re having can be difficult to see.

Google Earth Engine collects satellite data that shows exactly how much the world has changed over the last few decades from human activities like construction, mining, irrigation and deforestation.

MORE: The Aral Sea is shrinking before our eyes

They’ve recently worked with the US Geological Survey Association, NASA and TIME to compile an interactive timelapse series which they claim is the “most comprehensive picture of our changing planet ever made available to the public.”

Watch the stunning compilation in a video below:

The video shows Khazakstan’s Aral Sea shrinking in seconds and the drying of Lake Urmia in Iran.

Human impact is clearly seen through the construction of islands off Dubai’s coast and huge tracts of deforestation in the Amazon to make way for farming and land to raise cattle.

Each frame of the images is taken from a year of Landsat satellite data which has been collecting images since 1972.

The technology also captures the fate of glaciers and desert irrigation schemes, taking just seconds to show decades worth of changes.

The tech giant opted to make the images available online as a way to allow non-profit groups to “visualise their cause” the Earth Outreach program reports.

Here’s an even more detailed version to watch below: