Mesmerizing maps show how much megacities have expanded over the last 30 years

Megacities are the future.

By 2050, the United Nations estimates two-thirds of the world population will live in cities. China alone plans to move some 250 million people into urban areas with 10 million or more inhabitants by 2026.

Using the Timelapse feature in Google Earth Engine, we can witness the growth of these megacities - and really any location on the planet - over a 32-year period from 1984 to 2016.

Here's how much the world's biggest cities have grown.