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Alternative views of search results received a test last May, and Google recently updated some features for these different visualizations.

Ah the good old days. Search results arrived ten to a page, in a list, and you were lucky to have them.

Fast forward a couple of years later to modern day. We know that doesn't seem like much time, but this is the Internet. Two years is practically a geologic age.

The official Google blog noted some of the changes recently made on their experimental search page. Searchers can look at map, timeline, and info views.

Under map view, search results plot on a map that shows some of the key locations referenced in answers to the query. An "Update Results" button allows the searcher to see results for a given area of a map after zooming in or out of the view.

In timeline view, dates of events appear on a graph atop a search results page. "The graph across the top of the page summarizes how dates in your results are spread through time, with higher bars representing a larger number of unique dates," the blog said.

Info view returns what looks like standard search results. However, the right side of the page shows a new control panel, with links to dates, images, measurements, and locations, where applicable.

"If you run a search and find many of your results are looking similar, try using info view. It may highlight the differences between results and help you select the best page for your needs," said Google.