If you’ve ever been interested in how a landscape changes over time (changes caused by people or by weather) then I have an app for you. HarperCollins UK has just released a new iPad app called Fragile Earth.

This app, which draws on the previously published book by the same name, shows before and after scenes of our natural world. Detailed ecological snapshots – from as far back as 1914 to the present day – depict rivers which have dried up or flooded, erupted volcanoes, glaciers in the process of melting, and cities sprawling outward. Through these thought-provoking portraits from across the globe, the app captures the world’s beauty, vastness and vulnerability.

The book is divided into 6 sections: Natural Phenomena, Warming World, Water’s Power, Deserts and Drought, Man’s Impact, and Wild Weather. Readers can view the images by location, category and date, and they can share via Facebook, Twitter, or email.

The official release date is Earth Day (22 April), but you can find the app now in iTunes. I would wait until next week, though, because it will be going on sale for $0.99.

iTunes