SAN FRANCISCO –
Google Earth software has been downloaded more than one billion times, and that stellar achievement was marked Wednesday with a website showcasing ways the interactive replica of the planet is used.
OneWorldManyStories.com features 40 real-world tales of how people around the globe have used Google Earth to follow dreams, defend nature, explore distant places, or learn about the planet.
Of course, Google Earth maps let people travel virtually to locales where such stories play out. “Google Earth is probably one of the most downloaded applications of all time in terms of raw numbers,” product manager Peter Birch told AFP.
To provide context, Google Earth and Maps vice president of engineering Brian McClendon pointed out that a billion hours ago humans were living in the Stone Age and that a billion minutes ago the Roman Empire was flourishing.…