Millions of people use Google Earth to discover, explore, and learn about the world around them and the Google Earth Blog is a mine of interesting posts and fascinating links, for example "Interesting imagery from 2015 that we missed" shows the before and after photos of Tropical Cyclone Chapala, a rare and powerful tropical cyclone which became the strongest cyclone on record to hit Yemen, as well as the most powerful storm known to have existed in the Gulf of Aden.
The Villarrica volcano in southern Chile which erupted in the early hours on 22nd April 2015
In Colorado, the Gold King Mine waste water spill was an environmental disaster in August 2015 when more than 11 million litres of mining waste spilled into the Animas River
The acid mine drainage changed the color of the river to orange and residents with wells in floodplains were told to have their water tested before drinking it or bathing in it. People were told to avoid contact with the river, including by their pets, that farmed animals should not be allowed to drink the water and people should not catch fish in the river.
On November 5, two dams retaining tons of iron-mining waste near the Brazilian town of Bento Rodrigues burst, releasing a massive flood of thick, red toxic mud that flattened buildings and trees, smothered the small town, killed at least four, and left another twenty-eight missing.
Ground-level photos show the full magnitude of the disaster:
There are a mind-boggling 13 000 satellites around the Earth, view their positions here, or perhaps you'd rather know where the Google Street View cars are currently on on the road, either way the Google Earth Blog has to be a favourite bookmark!