Abstract
Scientists have produced the most detailed 3D map of almost all buildings in the world. The map, called GlobalBuildingAtlas, combines satellite imagery and machine learning to generate 3D models for 97% of buildings on Earth. The data set, published on 1 December (X. X. Zhu et al. Earth Syst. Sci. Data 17, 6647-6668; 2025), covers 2.75 billion buildings, each mapped with footprints and heights at a spatial resolution of 3 metres by 3 metres. The 3D map opens new possibilities for disaster risk assessment, climate modelling and urban planning, according to study co-author Xiaoxiang Zhu, an Earth observation data scientist at the Technical University of Munich in Germany. It could also help to improve how researchers monitor United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for cities and communities, Zhu adds.
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