The FINANCIAL — Google has recreated ancient creatures with the help from Augmented Reality (AR) that can be viewed freely in your room on your smartphone. You will be able to view prehistoric ancient animals through the app – Google Arts & Culture application. If unusual critters aren’t your thing, Google has also recreated a collection of unusual cultural artifacts for you to experience in AR. Historical items include figures from the Aztec empire, a golden ceremonial hat from Berlin, dated around 1000BC, and cult objects from the Old Temple at Chavín, Peru.
Prehistoric animals like Cambropachycope, an ancient crustacean with a distinctive pointy head covered in tiny eyes or the oldest large filter feeder, the fish that swims poorly, or the largest animal ever to live on Earth have been brought back to life with the help from AR, News18 reported.
Google Arts & Culture is a non-profit initiative. They work with cultural institutions and artists around the world. Their mission is to preserve and bring the world’s art and culture online so it’s accessible to anyone, anywhere. The new additions to the app are divided into four subsections: animals, space, history, and art. The app is available on both iPhones and Android phones.
Google has also rendered certain areas in augmented reality, such as the Nine-Dome Mosque in Bangladesh or the Gereza Fort in Tanzania. These appear as small models that users can move around, expand, and retract – similar to computer design of a video game level. Historical items include figures from the Aztec empire, a golden ceremonial hat from Berlin, dated around 1000BC, and cult objects from the Old Temple at Chavín, Peru. Once a user has placed any rendered structure in their home, they can take photos and videos of the objects to compare them with items in their home or share them on social media, Independent wrote.
On Monday Google Arts & Culture stated:
“In collaboration with institutions such as Moscow’s State Darwin Museum and London’s Natural History Museum, we’ve brought a menagerie of prehistoric animals back to digital life. Thanks to AR, you can see them up close through your phone.“
If you want to take a closer look at the ancient crustaceans from your living room without having to visit Moscow’s State Darwin Museum, for example, then now’s your chance. The announcement comes as many museums around the world are starting to open up after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close. However, in the immediate future, health and safety measures mean that many still aren’t as accessible as they once were. AR will have to suffice, even if it can’t quite match the sense of awe you get at seeing a 25.2 meter-long blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling above you in London’s Natural History Museum, according to The Verge.
In addition to Cambropachycope, you can also meet the oldest large filter feeder, the fish that swims poorly, or the largest animal ever to live on Earth. Make sure to snap a picture or a video so you can show how these creatures compare in size to the Felis catus or Canis familiaris that roams your living room. If unusual critters aren’t your thing, Google has also recreated a collection of unusual cultural artifacts for you to experience in AR. Meet the pre-Inca “smiling god” Lanzón from circa 500 BCE, or see how the Apollo 11 Command Module looks in your backyard—along with a spacesuit, of course. Or, choose from among thousands of paintings to decorate your space, from Frida Kahlo’s self portraits to The Kiss.
