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What's New in Google Earth 
Each month we highlight the newest additions to the built in Google Earth content. If you haven't been subscribing to Sightseer for long, you might want to check the forum for previous editions.
 New and Updated Layers
- On June 26th we added several new layers to Google Earth and updated several others:
New Road Layers - The following countries now have detailed roads: Croatia, Slovakia, and Slovenia, and Sweden. In Sweden you can do local business searches and get driving directions in addition to seeing the roads in Google Earth. Also, you can use a Swedish version of Google Maps: maps.google.se
New Global Awareness Layers - As part of the new Google Earth Outreach initiative (read below) we are sharing several new layers under the Global Awareness layer:
- Global Heritage Fund (GHF) - The GHF Global Awareness layer explores cultural heritage sites around the world that GHF is working to preserve for future generations. From ancient Mayan Mirador pyramids buried in Guatemalan forests threatened by clear cutting to the crumbling Lijiang Ancient Town in China, GHF takes users to these endangered archaeological treasures of human civilization and details the efforts to save them in partnership with local governments and resources.
- Earthwatch Expeditions - The Earthwatch Global Awareness layer enables users to virtually visit more than 100 volunteer Earthwatch expeditions in Google Earth, from recording the activities of lemurs in Madagascar to determining the impact of climate change on grey whale populations in Mexico and Canada. Enthusiasts and would-be volunteers can explore scientific field research projects in progress around the world and learn how they can help collect field data in the areas of rainforest ecology, wildlife conservation, marine science, archaeology, and more.
- Fair Trade Certified - The TransFair USA layer introduces users to the over 70 Fair Trade Co-ops located throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa. Fair trade is an innovative market-based approach to sustainable development that helps family farmers in developing countries gain direct access to markets and develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Updated Geographic Web Layers - We have made the icons for the Geographic Web layers smaller round colored icons. Each of three colors represent the sub-layers from before: Panoramio photo placemarks (blue), Wikipedia placemarks (purple), and Best of Google Earth Community (tan). When you zoom in closer, the icons switch to normal icons. The changes were designed to help make information visible while reducing the obstructions to the view of terrain and imagery. The Panoramio layer now has 200,000 additional photos - for a total of 1.2 million photos visible in Google Earth.
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New Google Earth Outreach Initiative
 When Google Earth launched two years ago, it was fun to see that many people around the world used it to fly to their homes, navigate around their neighborhoods, and explore the planet. But when, in September 2005, it was used to rescue stranded victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we realized that Google Earth had the potential to be a significant tool beyond personal exploration. We began to see public-benefit KMLs created for things like environmental protection and global public health. A large number of non-profit groups started contacting us, asking good questions: can Google Earth help us illustrate our projects in a new and more compelling manner than text and slideshows? Are there methods or tools for importing our existing data into Google Earth? Can you tell us about any other non-profits we've been successful at using GE to reach a new audience, raise awareness, gain volunteers, inspire people into action, and create a tangible impact?
We listened carefully and worked on this for more than a year, and now, the answer is "Yes!" We're formally launching Google Earth Outreach, a program designed to empower non-profit groups with the resources, tools, and inspiration that they need to leverage the power of Google Earth for their cause. This is where public service groups can find online guides and video tutorials, inspiring case studies and a gallery of high-quality, public-benefit KML. We are offering free Google Earth Pro licenses to qualified non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. And the Earth Outreach team is also moderating a forum to foster discussion, exchange ideas, and give technical support.
We're excited to see the birth of Google Earth Outreach, and it's truly an honor for us to be able to support the critically important work of these groups. As Dr. Jane Goodall said, "Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. With Google Earth Outreach, more people have the chance to see, to care, and then to act."
You can also watch a video of the announcement and hear Jane Goodall's thoughts about the program.
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New and improved Geo search
 Following the introduction of search for KML content in Google Earth in February, we are excited to announce the large strides we have taken since. First, the search functionality is now available on both Google Earth and Google Maps, but more importantly it now also provides results from GeoRSS files and content created by users on Google Maps. Also new are the details for the results; you now see the complete information, with images, contained in the placemark and a link to open the source file. So now it's easier to search for anything about any place, in just one more step in making the world's geo-referenced information easily accessible and useful.
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| Chief Almir Visits Google Headquarters
The Google Earth team has been working with the Amazon Conservation Team to provide aid to help protect the Brazilian Amazon forests (as was mentioned in our December Sightseer).
 The Amazon rainforest and its indigenous peoples are disappearing rapidly. This has serious consequences locally and globally, both for our environment and for the cultural diversity of our planet. If you look at the land of the Surui Indian tribe today in Google Earth (search on "Ministro Andreazza, Brazil" and then head due east), you'll see that their "island" of healthy, green, primary rainforest is surrounded almost completely by clear-cut, barren land. The stark contrast at their boundary is dramatic, and begins to convey what is at stake.
 Recently we were honored to meet with Chief Almir, leader of the Surui Indian tribe in the Brazilian Amazon. Chief Almir had travelled for many hours and thousands of miles to our Google headquarters in Mountain View to propose that we work together to annotate Google Earth with informative markers and photographs that show the Surui villages, hunting grounds, sacred sites, and cultural sites as well as areas where they've found illegal mining and logging incursions onto their land. By doing so, he hopes to raise global awareness of the Surui people$#39;s struggle to preserve their land and culture, by reaching the more than 250 million Google Earth users around the world.
In the early 1980's, Almir's father, Chief Marimo, entered into tribal legend by single-handedly stopping a logging truck full of men with machine guns and revolvers, using only his bow and arrow. His son, Chief Almir, told us that he had realized that the time had now come "to put down the bow and arrow, and pick up the laptop." We're excited to help Chief Almir on this project. It will take time, but when completed, we hope that it will have a positive impact on the lives of the Surui people and other Amazon tribes.
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GuiWeather - Real-time Global Lightning
 Last month, a new weather web site called GuiWeather introduced a Google Earth network link which lets you view real-time lightning data  around the world. Not only do you get current lightning strike location information, but the data is time stamped and you can play an animation of strikes during the past 15-30 minutes. The data comes from a World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) which uses sferic sensors to detect lightning strikes. Simply click the time slider "Play" button (a right arrow button) which appears to the right of the time slider. Or, read the instructions for the lightning layer.
The GuiWeather site has also released weather information including a US National Nexrad Radar layer. Load the radar layer to see the storms which are causing the lightning strikes you are seeing from the previous layer. Also available is a weather layer showing weather data from buoys and ships around the world. See their KML library for the current collection of weather layers available.
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London Eye Shadow
 This story is not about putting cosmetics on the city of London. A 3D modeler named James Stafford has published a technique for adding animating shadows to 3D models placed in Google Earth by using the free Google Sketchup. He chose to add a shadow for his 3D model of the London Eye ferris wheel. His technique takes advantage of SketchUp's built-in ability to mimic the sun's location and generate shadows from 3D models. James generated a shadow for each position of the Ferris wheel as the wheel turns. He then added a KML time stamp to each position which allows you to play an animation in Google Earth. He also added an image overlay where he removed the original view of the London Eye from the satellite photo. Try clicking on the thumbnail above to see a brief video. Or, you can load the London Eye with Shadows (880 Kbytes) animation into Google Earth to see it in 3D by following these instructions:
- After the file loads, look for the time slider control at the top of the screen
- Access the time control options by clicking on the white clock icon to the left of the slider
- Set the repeat mode to "wrap"
- Ensure that "clamp beginning of time window" is off
- Click OK
- Hit the play button (the triangular right arrow) on the right of the slider
- If need be, the speed can be varied via the time control options
- GE takes a little while to load in all the separate parts of the animation, resulting in flickering at first
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