Why is Antarctica blurred out on Google Earth

No matter where you are, there must have been a time or there must be some aspirations right now, to travel the world. A few years ago, this process involved planning, booking tickets, and going on an adventure. But now, with the world fighting a pandemic, traveling has become a little more tricky and in some cases, a bigger hassle than anything else. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was some way to actually travel to your favorite place in the world, without really getting off your bed?

The first thought that may come to mind is Google Maps or Apple Maps. The map software has undergone so much evolution that you can now have a virtual tour of your favorite place, right inside your smartphone or PC, and the best part is, it doesn’t even cost a penny!!

But this mapping software has its limitations, and most of the time, the experience is not really as immersive as you may want it to be.

That is where the real solution comes into play, and that is none other than Google Earth.

 

 

Google Earth, for those of you who don’t know, is the three-dimensional planetary browser that shows our entire planet (albeit a few top-secret military bases) in satellite imagery and aerial photos.

This has been in the works for a while now, and people have absolutely put this software on a different level, as it allows them to literally explore a virtual 3D earth, and all the places it contains, anytime and anywhere you want.

Google has been collaborating with satellites, on-ground support, and individual contributors to supply high-quality images of locations all around the world, and every month, a list of locations are upgraded to reflect any new changes that may have taken place, in terms of terrain or establishment of new buildings or spots of interest. This list of locations is pre-decided by Google, so there is no point holding out hope for your hometown getting an upgrade as it will only get the change when Google receives significant footage that reflects changes to that location.

Why is Antarctica Blurred out on Google Earth?

While Google Earth does offer you an immersive virtual tour around the world, there are some places that are blurred out, one of which, is Antarctica. The reason for this is simple. The entirety of Antarctica is either made up of some research facilities or a featureless ice spread. This makes it highly unnecessary to spend any budget on mapping it as it offers nothing to the users.

Google Earth is available as a free-to-use software on PC, iOS, and Android via the dedicated apps on the app stores.