Google Earth Replacing Desktop Globes For Many Scientists

from the unintended-beneficiaries dept

It's always interesting to see how new technologies get used in totally unexpected ways -- sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. There was a lot of complaining a few months back that Google Earth was a security risk by revealing certain sites to anyone with a computer. However, on the flip side, it appears that various scientists are embracing Google Earth, realizing that it's a great platform to use with much of their research. It wasn't one of the intended uses -- but it does show how creating an open platform that encourages development (rather than a locked down one that tries to charge for everything) can lead to new and innovative uses.

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  1.  

    I'm cool with it for now....

    identicon
    Whatever he said, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 4:54pm

    For the moment you can't see my backyard very well on Google Earth, but I expect someday you will, for nothing. As much as I appreciate technology, this one illustrates potential issues.

    As cool and usefull as it is, I dread the day my mother calls and says, "what are you growing in your backyard." Legal or not, its gonna suck.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    I'm cool with it

    identicon
    Whatever I said, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 5:12pm

    You can see my back yard very well on Google Earth. It's really cool and is from a few years ago.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Odd that this should come up just now...

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 5:27pm

    I spent the afternoon at work (don't tell my boss) using Google Map to peruse my home town in New York.

    Checked out the house I grew up in, my elementary and high schools, the ball field and playgrounds that we played on as kids, the diner that was my first job, and on and on. Memories from 40 and more years ago came to the forefront as I viewed the high-res satellite images.

    Way cool!

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: I'm cool with it for now....

    identicon
    Adam, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 5:28pm

    ...dude...

    if you can see it from the air, you're an idiot for growing it that way anyway.



    thecopshavehellicopters,buddy.


    oi, kids these days.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Where does it end?

    identicon
    Whatever he said, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 5:35pm

    I use it -- my nav system and mapquest have let me down more than once.

    So a future G-earth would be at least a nearly real-time, continuous streaming image, with enough resolution for a botonous to give me advice remotely, and scientists could track their walruses and dolphins, and maybe I could tie in my daughter's cell phone, and my wife's, and ... hmm

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: Re: I'm cool with it for now....

    identicon
    Whatever he said, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 5:41pm

    It's legal in Cali, with a doctor's recommendation, and within limits. Believe me, the man isn't looking for me (he's looking for the guy I lived next door to five years ago).

    Neighbors are worse, far too many believe everything they see on TV.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re: Re: I'm cool with it for now....

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 5:47pm

    Consider that if he can't see his backyard on Google Earth, he probably lives in an area where the cops don't have helicopters.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    Google Earth

    identicon
    rbhrulez, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 6:39pm

    Google Earth helped me figure out why my basement kept flooding. My yard is shaped like a bowl and was causing water to pool against the foundation.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Re: Re: Re: I'm cool with it for now....

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 1st, 2006 @ 6:44pm

    No, we can't see our yard (much less our road, even), and we definitely have the choppers overhead.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  
    identicon
    Ringold, Aug 2nd, 2006 @ 1:13am

    Heh, neighbors where I used to live had a pool that wasn't screened in. Invariably every day this older woman would go get some sun in one of just a few bathing suites.

    Upon checking, just as I suspected, sure enough, you can JUST BARELY make her out. At another site, I think MSNs, can't see her too well, but thanks to the angle view thing and a decent rez, can tell she left the back sliding door open.

    I know somewhere, somehow, one of these services has caught some folks in public sex and nobodies just noticed it yet. For now, they're probably protected by being just about 10 pixels long.. but.. in the future..

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  

    yakov

    identicon
    Rajio, Aug 2nd, 2006 @ 6:51am

    In Soviet Russia earth googles YOU!

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Aug 2nd, 2006 @ 8:15am

    What if you Google Earth someone that is already "Google Earthing"....now thats deep

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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