Google Product Helping Blog

We want to create technology that helps millions of others understand our changing world and live more sustainably�whether it�s connecting people with public transit routes, or using the data that powers Google Earth to help you see if your roof is good for solar panels. In honor of Earth Day this month, we�ve gathered together some of the ways Google can help you reduce your everyday emissions and learn more about preserving our world. Monitoring forests and wildlife Google Earth satellite technology gives scientists and environmentalists a way to measure and visualize changes of the world on both land and water. This technology can have great impact on monitoring endangered animal populations around the world. For example, with the help of Global Forest Watch , powered by Google Earth Engine , scientists at the University of Minnesota are suggesting that wild tiger populations may rebound by 2022 , due to the efforts to restore tiger habitats in key regions. Anyone can now view tige...

Declared the �monarch of mountains� by Lord Byron, the Mont Blanc massif is shrouded in mystery, rolling clouds and imposing snowfields. One of Europe�s highest peaks, the wild terrain of the famed mountain range is reserved for ardent mountaineers and intrepid explorers. Starting today in Google Maps, you can get an up-close, 360-degree look at the breathtaking beauty of Mont Blanc. Following last year�s first-ever vertical imagery collection of El Capitan in California�s Yosemite National Park , we partnered with world-renowned alpine photographers, skiers, mountaineers, climbers, and runners to collect Street View of Western Europe�s highest peak. By working with legendary adventurers, the Street View team was able to capture the spirit of the massif in a way few witness firsthand. Run on the summit with Kilian Jornet �he holds the speed record for ascending and descending Mont Blanc in just 4 hours 57 minutes! Ice climb up a serac with record-setting alpine climber Ueli Steck , or...

Take a  train ride through the Andes , above the sacred valley and atop the mist of the mountains, to the most historic site of the Inca Empire. Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World , is one of the most famous, mythical and spiritual sites in the world. Now for the first time, in partnership with the Peruvian Ministry of Culture , people across the globe can go on a journey to Machu Picchu directly in Google Maps, uncovering its temples, terraces and plazas that have remained intact since the 15th century. People can also explore rare Inca artifacts and expert insights on the Google Cultural Institute . Gazing at the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu more than 2,400 meters above sea level, the site below is a lasting tribute to the power of the Inca Empire. It�s still unclear how the structure composed of behemoth stones was so precisely built without the use of mortar or modern day machinery, but its walls, terraces and stairways...

Starting today you can explore more than 30 historical sites throughout Jordan in Google Street View. To tell you more, read today�s guest blog post, by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. -Ed. What a great day for Jordan and Jordanians! Thanks to Google Street View, we can now share the rich, proud and varied history of our country with anyone who has an Internet connection. With more than 30 historical sites available to explore virtually, people all over the world now have a window into our beautiful Kingdom in the heart of the Middle East. Throughout the ages, ancient civilizations have left their footprints in Jordan. Reminders of the Silk Road which linked the regions of the world in commerce. Ancient cities, such as the Romans� Jerash and the Nabateans� Petra. Significant religious sites, like Mount Nebo and the River Jordan. And, to this day, we continue to discover such footprints. With Google Street View, would-be visitors, or those just curious to learn more about...

It�s that time of year again. Next week, tens of millions of us will hit the roads, consume millions of pounds of turkey, and then spend billions on Black Friday deals. Google Maps looked at Thanksgiving trends from the last three years to uncover the most useful information to make your holiday plans go a little bit easier. Whether you�re traveling, doing some last-minute grocery shopping, or Black Friday deal-dashing, here�s our day-by-day guide to braving the holiday crowds. Tuesday: No travel day leading up to the holiday is going to be a breeze, but if you can, start driving Tuesday rather than Wednesday. Yes, it�s still the second-worst travel day of the week, but according to Google Maps searches, for the last three years Wednesday has been the worst travel day�with the exceptions of Boston (Tuesday), and Honolulu, Providence and San Francisco (all Saturday). Wednesday: Americans are pretty predictable when it comes to the holidays: for the third year in a row, �ham shop� was ...

Today for the first time, we�re releasing Street View imagery of Kenya �including the Samburu National Reserve, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust�in partnership with Save the Elephants and with the support of the Samburu County Government . We'll let Save the Elephants' David Daballen take it from here . -Ed. It�s a wild life at the Save the Elephants research camp in Samburu, in the heart of northern Kenya�s wilderness. For the last 15 years at Save the Elephants, I�ve spent my days among the elephants, working alongside my fellow Samburu people to study and protect them. Research shows that 100,000 elephants across Africa were killed for their ivory between 2010-2012, but thanks to our work in the Samburu National Reserve their numbers are now slowly increasing. Today, a visit to Samburu is a chance not only to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, but also discover a uniquely beautiful landscape where people�s lives are i...