Top Ten Google Earth Discoveries
10. The Pygmy Seahorse
At 10th on Google Earth discoveries is the underwater Street Views feature that enables the exploration of great ocean depths.
Off
the coast of Australia, and further ahead the Great Barrier Reef the
underwater Street View feature found a tiny pygmy seahorse just as
similar to the one pictured. The picture was taken at depths beyond
300ft below sea level. This is an extraordinary snapshot considering
that this seahorse normally grows to approximately 1.5cm in length.
Pygmy
seahorse species are often spotted around coral reefs in different
parts of the world, usually in southern Japanese and Malaysian waters,
but never around Australian waters.
9. The Egyptian Pyramids
Angela
Micol, an archaeology researcher found several sites in southern Egypt
using satellite images. These sites contained remarkable mounds that had
eroded. They were triangular in shape with the largest being 620ft
wide… which is about 3 times larger than the Great Pyramid.
Although
further research is required to verify if at all they are pyramids,”
it’s pretty clear we are on course,” according to Dr Micol. Google Earth
images are paving the way for satellite image research.
8. Tombs and Archaeological Sites
Among
other Google Earth discoveries are tombs and archaeological sites in
Saudi Arabia. David Kennedy, a professor from the University of Western
Australia used Google Earth to explore Saudi Arabia for tombs and
archaeological sites. He discovered thousands of them that could be over
8,000 years old.
7. Prehistoric Fish Trap
In
2009, US aerial photographers described spotting an unusual form in
waters near the Teifi River. Dr. Ziggy Otto from Pembrokeshire College
found that in the 11th century, a Welsh community created an 800ft structure to help catch fish.
6. Kamil Crater
In
yet another Google Earth discovery, an Italian researcher found the
Kamil Crater using satellite imagery. This crater may just be the most
conserved in the world. Craters normally dissipate after years, but the
Kamil Crater has been kept in shape by bedrock.
5. Hominid Ancestors
Prof.
Lee Berger from the University of Witwatersrand used landscape imagery
to spot cave sites. He discovered 600 unknown fossil deposits and caves
in an area regarded as Cradle of Mankind.
Most significantly, he came across 2 preserved skeletons over 2 million
years old. This aided in proving that another species of mankind
ancestry existed.
4. Cambodian Minefields
At
number 4 on our list of Google Earth discoveries is the world’s largest
landmine clearing organization HALO Trust which is using Google Earth
to analyze landmine affected areas of Cambodia and Angola. The most
affected areas are near the Thailand border where regular clashes occur
and in Angola’s Cabinda province previously ravaged by civil war.
3. An Ancient Roman Villa
Luca
Mori an Italian programmer studied satellite maps of his hometown and
stumbled upon a 2,000 year old oval form near Parma. He later discovered
remains of courtyards and a river of an ancient Roman Villa.
2. Lost Rainforest on Mount Mabu
Botanic
Scientists at Kew used Google Earth to survey certain eminent areas of
Africa. They discovered green patches on Mount Mabu in Mozambique, and
it turned out as the largest, undocumented rainforest in southern
Africa.
The Mozambique civil war and the
harsh terrain had previously prevented explorers and scientists from
surveying the area. It is also believed that species living there may
have evolved over the years in isolation without influence from other
known creatures. Scientists immediately booked trips and checked out the
area.
1. The S.S Jassim Wreckage
At
number 1 on our list of Google Earth discoveries is the S.S Jassim
shipwreck. The Bolivian ferry hit shallow water off the Sudanese coast
in 2003. Although the shipwreck wasn’t actually sited on Google Earth,
the image was and has now become the largest, most visible and most
searched for shipwreck.
With all these
incredible and amazing discoveries on Google Earth, researchers,
explorers and scientists have put more emphasis on using the Google
Earth feature to survey the world and make previously unnoticed and
undocumented discoveries known. As the platform enhances further, more
and clear satellite images are to be discovered putting Google Earth in a
class of its own.
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