Google Earth/Image Credit Google

We met with some researchers from Pete August’s GIS lab today to learn more about how Google Earth has definitively changed the way research is done.

One of the researchers we met, Roland Duhaime, gave us a brief “past, present and future” glimpse of Google Earth. What I didn’t know was that Google Earth was actually originally developed by a struggling company called Keyhole (they had CIA funding, according Duhaime).

When Google acquired them, it was a much needed boost that helped turn the product into the powerful tool it is today. Roland briefed us on Google Sketchup, which he’s used to create 3-D models, one of which has been accepted by Google Earth. He also showed us the relatively new Google Ocean (there’s some cool fish tagging/tracking happening with this), and showed us that Google Earth can also be embedded into websites.

He shared this website as well, of the Coastal Resilience, that maps changes in the coastal environment of Long Island.

There’s clearly some interesting work happening using this technology, and more interesting work to come. I’m looking forward to keeping track of new developments in the space.

Can Google get any cooler? Probably!

However, for lovers of all things marine – they have hit an all time high through their new offering Google Earth with Ocean.

With Google Ocean you can;

• Dive beneath the surfance and visit the deepest part of the ocean (The Mariana Trench)
• Explore the ocean with top marine experts including National Geographic and BBC
• Learn about ocean observations, climate change, and endangered species, and
• Discover new places including surf, dive, and travel hot spots and shipwrecks

There is a lot of fun to be had and practical uses too – when you have a spare hour or three, take some time to download and check it out!

google ocean

İşte bunlarda örnek görüntüler. Vallaha ne diyelim, Google çalışıyor =)

http://earth.google.com/ocean/

Google Ocean is an extension to Google Earth. It’s built using visual satellite images, sonar waves bounced off ships and data pooled from scientists and individuals.

Full Press Release

Our friend to whom we can ask anything that he quickly replies with hundreds of possibilities, informations and desinformations is beginning to piss me off. First they played big brother and invented google earth. Then google sky, adding a 13^th constellation – that of the serpent bearer – to the zodiac, which took me (after a short google search) to the realization that there is another zodiac called sidereal and that I’m not really Gemini but Taurus. As if it wasn’t enough, they invaded deep waters and launched controversy when they found Atlantis in the bottom of the ocean and along the African west coast. Something they immediately denied, so that humanity doesn’t find out that the birth of all civilization is Africa, not Greece.

Even thought atlantis – atlantic mmmm… duh…

Anyway, they found my house, changed my sign, don’t explain properly what the hell is that grid in the bottom of the ocean, but the last one is really the last drop. Google is now being investigated because it’s been scanning 20^th century off print books, which are public domain, and can be found in public libraries. These agreed because google paid the expenses and would direct cybernauts to the libraries where the books are kept and guarded. But the scanning, paid by google, gave google the right to impose restrictions to the same libraries that provided the books for scanning in the first place. 20^th century off print books, our domain, are now at risk of becoming private property to a private corporation who can decide where, how, when and who can access what.    

Future generations beware of what you read. If it is not google library’s property, it may be that wherever you are they will catch you reading it. Be it on google earth, sky or ocean.

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O nosso melhor amigo, a quem basta perguntar algo que ele logo responde com centenas de possibilidades, informações e desinformações já começa a chatear. Primeiro deram uma de big brother e inventaram o google terra. Depois o google céu, acrescentando uma 13ª constelação – o portador da serpente – ao zodiaco, o que me levou (após uma curta pesquisa no google), a descobrir que existe um outro zodiaco chamado sidereal, e que na verdade eu não sou gemeos, sou touro. Como se não bastasse invadiram também as profundezas do oceano e logo lançaram controvérsia ao descobrir Atlantis no fundo do oceano e ao largo da costa ocidental africana. Algo, que de imediato desmentiram ter encontrado, não fosse a humanidade descobrir que o berço de toda a civilização é África e não a Grécia.

Ainda que atlantis – atlântico mmmm… duh…

Tudo bem, já encontraram a minha casa, já me mudaram o horóscopo, não explicam o que é afinal aquilo no fundo do oceano, mas a última já passa dos limites. Google está agora a ser investigado por que tem andado a scanear os livros do século XX, que já passaram a domínio público e se encontram em bibliotecas públicas. Estas concordaram porque a google cobraria as despesas e direcionaria os cibernautas para as bibliotecas públicas onde se encontram essas cópias. Mas o scaneamento pago pelo google, deu-lhe o direito de impôr restrições de acesso às mesmas bibiotecas públicas que providenciaram as cópias. Assim corremos o risco dos livros do século XX, nosso domínio, se tornarem em propriedade privada de uma corporação, ela própria privada, que decidirá onde, como, quando e quem pode ter acesso a determinadas literaturas.

E as gerações futuras que se livrem de ler alguma coisa que não seja bilbioteca google. Onde quer que vocês vão, eles apanham-vos a ler. Seja no google terra, céu ou oceano.

Además de Google Earth, para la Tierra, y  Google Sky, para el espacio… tenemos Google Ocean para explorar los océnos. Aqui tenéis el video de presentación subtitulado.  Y, para ello, nos descargaremos Google Earth 5.o.

Fuente: http://losclicos.wordpress.com/

Setelah Sukses dengan Google Earth, Para ilmuan Mountain View (kota markas google) kini mencoba mengeplorasi kedalam laut. Bukan hanya laut, tetapi juga dasarlautnya. Peta ini nantinya disuguhkan dalam format 3D. Software ini akan memungkinkan penggunanya untuk melihat-lihat isi lautan dengan tombol navigasi. Kedepan, rencana pengembangan software ini adalah penambahan dengan data-data penting seputar dasar laut seperti: Kondisi cuaca disekitar laut tersebut, jenis coral yang hidup di Dasar lautan itu, Bangkai kapal terkenal yang ada di dasar lautan itu, dan tak ketinggalan arus lautan itu.

Goal utama dari google ocean ini sendiri adalah membuat foto beresolusi tinggi (setinggi mungkin) agar nantinya software ini bukan hanya bisa dijadikan informasi tetapi juga bahan penelitian bawah laut.

Seperti layaknya google Earth, Google ocean ini nantinya juga dirancang “internet base”. jadi, anda harus mengakses database mereka untuk mendapatkan gambar dasar laut yang anda cari. Kita tunggu saja kapan software ini akan rampung dan diluncurkan ke publik. Ya.. mengingat explorasi bawah laut ini tentunya akan lebih sulit daripada permukaan bumi.

Sebelumnya, google map juga sudah mempunyai peta bangkai kapal, peta kabel bawah laut, peta suhu laut, dll. berikut gambarnya:

Gambar Peta kabel bawah laut dari Google Map. data dari Kingfisher information service

Peta kabel bawah tanah dari google map. dari Submarine cables in Google Maps

Peta bangkai kapal dari http://www.justmagic.com/_externsite/GE/Narcose29_GE.kmz

About 4000 shipwrecks and 800 obstructions in Google Maps

Peta Suhu lautan dari Space Science and Engineering Center

Peta Magnetik Bumi dari Google Map.

Foto-foto diambil dari: Just magic

Well, to start with, this will be my first post on YU.

Recession and terrorism have been the buzz words in the past three months.Apart from these, here are a few interesting tidbits of news that caught my attention, and hopefully yours too, during my 3 months of break from the blogging world.

Well, if you are reading this, you are lost! The actual post is present at YU site (please click the hyperlink above).

Author: Manoj

Recession and terrorism have been the buzz words in the past three months.Apart from these, here are a few interesting tidbits of news that caught my attention, and hopefully yours too, during my 3 months of break from the blogging world.

1) The Yeti, Sasquatch, Bigfoot or the abominable Snow man, whatever you call it, perhaps, is the only creature that caught the fantasy of almost everyone in this world. Debates and controversies since years have only added to the already mysterious creature. The mystery has only increased what with the likes of Sir David Attenborough saying that the evidence of Yeti is convincing.

2) Euthanasia or ‘assisted suicide’ has always been a sort of taboo in medical field. Perhaps this has much more to it than just passing a mere bill or law. Washington State (U.S.A) is going to allow this. Read it here.

3) While this one has nothing to do in the past 3 months, I somehow, was drawn towards the phenomenon of Global Warming. Everytime scientists prove the existence of this phenomenon, someone would take the ownership of disproving it. Global Warming is still a topic of debate. Do we have enough knowledge to prove this phenomenon? Well, this one makes an interesting read.

4) This one is a far cry from the above three in terms of its “Genre”. The internet is abuzz with yet-an-other apocalypse. The 2012 phobia. Well, the Mayan Calendar seems to have ended on 21st, December 2012. This has soon been concluded as an end of the world, or atleast a beginning of a new era. While few researchers on Mayan Civilization has trashed this, many a people believe it, nonetheless. Here is one of the numerous websites explaining this, that dotted across the internet.

5) Last, but not the least, is the amount of Moral policing happening in India. From the “Mangalore pub fiasco’ to banning Valentines day. Well, I will not write much on this, for, everyone of us have already condemned.

The Hudson river plane-landing in New York City, the ‘giant snake’ in the Borneo river, the unending quest for Aliens and UFOs and the lost city of Atlantis in Google Ocean are among the few others that made prominent news. The Hudson river plane landing, though, deserves a kudos to the Pilot!

Well, I haven’t talked about recession and terrorism. That’s a big win for me! And if I diverted your minds from these two, atleast for a few minutes, I consider my purpose solved. And by the way, this is my first post in YU

Google sigue innovando. Con  Google Earth podemos dar una vuelta virtual por el mundo. Ahora llega Google Ocean para acompañarnos en nuestras visitas a los fondos marinos. Google ha contado con la colaboración de oceanógrafos para poder crear Google Ocean.

En este video, Sylvia Earle -exploradora oceánica- explica qué es Google Ocean:

“Google Ocean podrá empezar a ser usado a partir del próximo 2 de febrero tal y como desvela ZDNet. De confirmarse este lanzamiento Google habría dado cobertura a la tierra con Google Earth, al cielo con Google Sky y ahora al medio marino con Google Ocean. Esta nueva funcionalidad de Google Earth y Google Maps además de convertirse en una herramienta que satisfará nuestro interés, permitirá una mayor colaboración de investigadores científicos de este medio aun por descubrir. Según ZDNet, Google Ocean será presentado la próxima semana en la Academia de Ciencias de California.” Desarrollweb.com

Y las nuevas funciones de Google Earth-Ocean son:

1. What new technology feature is being illustrated here.

Ans.: Google Ocean

2. What is happening here?

Ans.: Selection of Cheerleaders for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

3. Who is the gentleman, and what is his claim to fame?

Ans.: Emilio “El Indio” Fernandez, he modelled for Oscar Statuette.

4. Connect the 2 images, they were in the news together for a reason.

Ans.: Harmandir sahib(Golden Temple) and Ajmer Sharif, the Nano was taken there to seek blessings.

5. Identify why was this in the news lately?

Ans.: Smile Pinky, the Best short documentry at the oscars about the girl with a cleft lip.

6. Who is he, and why was he in the news recently?

Ans.: Jack Tweed, the man who married Jade Goody.

7. What latest offering by a technology major’s logo is being shown here.

Ans.: iTunes Pass, the new feature by Apple which will buy shoppers access to all of their favorite bands’ iTunes-related releases and exclusive material over a set time period.

El presunto hallazgo fue reportado por un Ingeniero Aeronáutico Británico quien consideró las imágenes como un mapa aéreo de una ciudad. La cuadrícula fue encontrada fuera de la costa del noreste de África cerca de las Islas Canarias en el fondo del Océano Atlántico.

Las dimensiones del rectángulo son aproximadamente las mismas que las del País de Gales y la imagen subacuática puede ser encontrada en las coordenadas 31 15′15.53 N y  24 15′30.53 O.

Expertos de la Atlantis dijeron que la inexplicable cuadrícula está localizada en uno de los posibles sitios donde podría encontrarse la legendaria isla, la cual fue descrita por el filósofo Griego Platón. “Incluso si esto solo resulta ser geográfico, definitivamente merece la pena mirarlo más de cerca.” – Añadieron.

De acuerdo con la historia de Platón, la ciudad se hundió bajo el mar después de que sus pobladores hicieran un esfuerzo fallido por conquistar Atenas alrededor del año 9000 AC.

Google Ocean, una extensión de Google Earth, permite a los usuarios explorar virtualmente el océano con miles de imágenes de paisajes submarinos. El software fue presentado a inicios del mes de febrero y permite a sus usuarios navegar en medio de volcanes submarinos, observar videos sobre la exótica vida marina, así como leer sobre naufragios, publicar fotos y observar videos no vistos sobre históricas exploraciones oceánicas.

¿Crees que sea cierto? ¿Podría haberse encontrado esta ciudad perdida? ¿Qué opinas?

This image was found on Google Ocean. It shows a perfect rectangle the size of Wales lying on the bed of the Atlantic Ocean nearly 3½ miles down. The site lies 620 miles off the west coast of Africa near the Canary Islands. A location for Atlantis seemingly suggested by the ancient philosopher Plato.

This is pretty intense I think…those lines are definitely way too straight to be made naturally. Anyway, you can check the whole story here.

Der Unterwasser-Kartendienst “Google Ocean” erregte für kurze Zeit weltweites Aufsehen, als einigen passionierten Meeres-Betrachtern eine ungewöhnliche Gegend in der Nähe der Kanarischen Inseln (bei 31 15′15.53 N, 24 15′30.53 W) auffiel. Die Karte des Meeresbodens zeigt über ein grosses Gebiet verteilte, gerade Linien, die zusammen ein rechteckiges Schachbrett artiges Muster bilden.

Sofort kochten die Gerüchte hoch: Atlantis? Genau da, wo der antike Philosoph und Geschichtenerzähler Plato es vermutet hatte, nämlich westlich von Gibraltar (a.k.a. “Säulen des Herakles”)?

Leider kam heute die Erklärung aus dem Google Hauptquartier: Die geraden Linien sind aufgezeichnete Sonarbilder längs eines Schiffskurses. Die leeren Flächen dazwischen sehen so leer aus, weil sie tatsächlich leer sind: Wir haben von diesen Gebieten noch keine Sonarkarten. Das ist alles. Atlantis bleibt unentdeckt.

(via tgdaily)

After much speculation, it appears that the answer is no.

Last week, a British man announced he’d found the lost city of Atlantis using Google Ocean-the latest add-on to Google Earth that features 3D bathymetry, which lets you explore the ocean floor.

From PC World:

The supposed ‘Atlantis’ image is about 620 miles off the northwestern coast of Africa and south of Portugal. It shows a rectangular grid with what looks like roadways leading away from it at the coordinates 31 15′15.53N 24 15′30.53W. According to The Telegraph, the newspaper that first reported the “discovery,” the pattern is roughly the size of Wales (around 8,000 sq. mi.).

Friday’s find sparked intense interest online despite the farfetched claim. Many scratched their heads wondering, what if? After all, this underwater discovery seemed to match the location Plato had described in his writings. Plato said Atlantis was a massive island that was “larger than Libya and Asia together,” and located at a “distant point in the Atlantic Ocean…in front of the mouth of the pillars of Hercules” (the Straits of Gibraltar).

Google Quashes Atlantis Buzz

Alas, the Atlantis discovery was not meant to be. Google quashed the idea a day later in a statement, “what users are seeing is an artifact of the data collection process,” Google said. “Bathymetric (or seafloor terrain) data is often collected from boats using sonar to take measurements of the seafloor. The lines reflect the path of the boat as it gathers the data.”

Google Earth has been responsible for several amazing discoveries in the past as the company pointed out: “It’s true that many amazing discoveries have been made in Google Earth — a pristine forest in Mozambique that is home to previously unknown species, a fringing coral reef off the coast of Australia, and the remains of an Ancient Roman villa, to name just a few.” Unfortunately, Atlantis will not be added to this list.

Discuta esse artigo no Fórum Omega Geek!

Bom dia, boa tarde ou boa noite, caro leitor do Semana OMG. Domingão feliz e tranquilo, em pleno carnaval. Escolas de samba fazem preparativos, pessoas fantasiadas dão seus pulos pelo nordeste e outros malucos dançam créu (ou seja lá qual for a música tema desse ano) em avenidas cheias de gente por todo o país desde ontem. Mas, como esse é um blog nerd, eu imagino que você não tenha nada desse tipo planejado para esses dias de folia. E se tiver, você pode ir pros comentários me explicar o que diabos está fazendo por aqui.

Voltando a programação normal, vocês já devem saber qual foi o assunto que esteve presente durante essa semana. Foram trilhões de notícias sobre escolas de samba, trios elétricos, blocos de carnaval e tudo mais que você pode imaginar. Como eu imagino que vocês devem estar saturados de ouvir esse tipo de coisa, joguei tudo que diz respeito ao tema carnavalesco e decidi focar em outras coisas mais interessantes, que acabaram ofuscadas no meio de tanta notícia. Primeiro, temos o desdobramento de duas notícias que já apareceram por aqui.

O pessoal de Israel (que até esses dias estava criando um estacionamento na Faixa de Gaza) resolveu reorganizar seu governo. Shimon Peres, presidente de Israel, colocou o chefe do partido Likud para trabalhar e e formar o novo governo do país. Benjamin Netanyahu (conhecido como Bibi Netanyahu) obteve o apoio de 65 dos 120 deputados e a aprovação da líder do partido Kadima, Tzipi Livni. Agora, Bibi tem um prazo de seis semanas para formar o novo governo de coalizão e virar premiê. Os palestinos dizem que vão tratar com o governo enquanto ele estiver comprometido com a paz. Veremos até quando eles não se estranham de novo.

No lado financeiro, vimos uma boa amostra de como a crise ainda está ativa pelo mundo e que o pior ainda não passou. A Saab, subsidiária de luxo da GM localizada na Suécia, pediu concordata. Segundo a GM, a Saab pode ir a falência nesse mesmo mês caso não receba ajuda do governo sueco (que já havia negado a mãozinha amiga). Caso a concordata seja aprovada pelo governo, a Saab apresentará sua proposta de reorganização, para no prazo de três meses conseguir se re-erguer e não fechar as linhas de montagem. O que isso tudo significa? Que a GM está tentando economizar todo o dinheiro possível para se salvar, inclusive queimando o filme de algumas empresas menores que ela possui. Para quem não sabe a GM faz parte da grandes montadoras de Detroit junto da Ford e Chrysler, que estão correndo o risco de falir e levar grande parte da economia americana com elas.

Para quem se interessa por futebol, começou essa semana o campeonato mais importante das américas de uns tempos pra cá, a Libertadores. Como o campeonato internacional virou a porta de entrada para o mundial interclubes no final do ano, ninguém mais quer deixar de lado e todos brigam com unhas e dentes para tentar avançar e, quem sabe, ganhar a taça. Os clubes brasileiros até que foram bem. Sport chegou como quem não queria nada e já arrancou uma vitória importante do Colo-Colo lá na casa dos caras por 2×1. Cruzeiro também conseguiu uma boa vitória espatifou o Estudiantes (tido como o favorito no grupo deles) por 3×0 no Mineirão. O São Paulo já não foi tão bem e não saiu de um empate de 1×1 contra o Independente de Medellin. E o Palmeiras lutou, lutou e lutou, mas não teve jeito. Acabou sendo superado pela LDU na altitude por 3×2. No dia 25 é a vez da estréia do Grêmio, que joga contra a Universidad de Chille no Olímpico.

Atlântida, na vista do Google Ocean e renderizada para melhorar a visualização.

Para encerrar, uma notícia no mínimo inusitada. Uma ferramenta do Google “descobriu” uma curiosa formação no fundo do mar, perto das Ilhas Canárias, a aproximadamente mil quilômetros da costa da África. Coincidência ou não, essa era a localização de Atlântida, segundo o filósofo grego Platão. Charles Orser, da Universidade do Estado de Nova York chamou a descoberta de “fascinante”. Para ele mesmo que a formação encontrada pelo software Google Ocean seja natural, ela “definitivamente merece uma análise mais detalhada”. Para quem ainda não viu, o Google Ocean é uma ferramenta que permite aos seus usuários uma visualização 3D do fundo do mar e acaba complentando o já famoso Google Earth.

Google Earth, the application best known for boosting the self-esteem of crop circle enthusiasts, and its new sister app, Google Ocean may have helped lead to the discovery of the ancient, mythical, D&D nerd fantasy city of Atlantis. Experts say they’ve spotted what appears to be grid-like lines on the Ocean floor off the Canary Islands that could be the remains of the lost casino-inspired city.

Upon hearing the news, IL Governor Pat Quinn called a press conference to nominate scandal-ridden Senator Roland Burris to head a team of explorers to the site.

“I can think of no place where Mr. Burris many talents would be more welcomed than the bottom of the ocean. A really, really far away part of the ocean. Mr. Burris has always been a trailblazer, and as the first black man to be appointed to the Senate by a really big white asshole to replace the first black President, he will always be a part of history, which is why he should go look at this ancient history place – if you see what I’m getting at.”

Mr. Burris has not yet said whether he will accept the nomination, but has been defiant in insisting that neither he nor former Governor Rod Blagojevich had anything to do with the sinking of the Lost City more than 10,000 years ago – despite the recent surfacing of ancient tablets depicting a man resembling Burris speaking with the Greek God of Hair, Blagosius.

• Quinn calls on Burris to quit
• Google Ocean: Has Atlantis been found off Africa?