Politics and Movies Used Microsoft Virtual Earth

Filed under: Satellite maps

Will you be surprised when you see some 3d images of satellite maps from Microsoft Virtual Earth featured on a sci-fi movie like “The Day the Earth Stood Still”? Why not? The film’s producer used Virtual Earth because it is ‘virtually’ free of charge to use on movies. So, if you’re dreaming of making your own film someday (even if it was just an animation), you won’t have any problem using any of the Virtual Earth 3d satellite images.

Scientists Discovered Heart of Africa Through Google Earth

Filed under: Google Earth, Satellite maps

In 2005, British scientists were using internet maps by Google Earth to find a future location for a conservation project. And it was quite by accident that they discovered an unknown and unmapped territory in the middle of Africa.

Several years before, only the local villagers in north of Mozambique knew about the location of a lush and virgin forest in the vicinity. No maps had ever featured this place. Not in any scientific collections or literature. However, large satellite photos shown in Google Earth’s website had divulged the existence of the secret mountain forest, locally known as Mount Mabu.

How China Got Rid of Pollution Before the Olympics 2008

Filed under: 3D Satellite Imagery, Satellite maps

In August 2005 to 2007, a satellite map image of China shows high levels of pollution, particularly in Beijing and on eastern parts of the country. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a noxious gas that results from fossil fuel combustion mostly in trucks, cars, and power plants. Another gas, carbon monoxide (CO), is also present in the skies above China.

Two months before August 2008, the pollution level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) lowered to about 50 percent and carbon monoxide (CO) to about 20 percent in and around Beijing. What kind of magic did Chinese officials use?

Know Where to Send the Firemen Through Global Maps

Filed under: 3D Satellite Imagery, Satellite maps, satellite images

Global maps are global views of our planet Earth through the many satellite imagery data from NASA. These satellite maps can give us an idea of what’s happening anywhere in the world. Modern technology had made global maps more interesting to study because all factors that affect the Earth are shown separately. At a glance, the depth of snowfall or the temperature in sea and land surfaces are depicted in different colors. Snow cover and vegetation are seen in white and in green, respectively. Fire maps are shown in yellow, orange, and red–according to count and frequency per day.

Why America Cannot Go Greener

Filed under: 3D Satellite Imagery, Satellite maps

According to a research study done by NASA’s Ames Research Center, lawns are the largest irrigated crop in America. Through satellite imagery data, the effects of urbanization are being studied by researchers. The satellite map on United States Lawn Distribution shows places where green lawns are planted and cultivated, which most Americans proudly consider as a trophy or a symbol that they had made it in the world.

Throughout the year, the lawns are getting watered through sprinklers, and sprayed with pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer. Especially during summer months, water is almost poured into the soil to keep the perfect and uniform greenery of most American lawns.

NASA Satellite Forecasts Pollen Clouds

Filed under: 3D Satellite Imagery, Satellite maps, satellite images

Are you suffering from hay fever? Do you sneeze or sniffle at the mere sight of pollens? Studies have shown that pollens do not just cause sneezing and sniffling. Pollen can cause serious impairment to humans, especially with respiratory and cardiovascular health troubles.

How does a tiny particle such as pollen harm people? Pollen is basically a container for the male half, which is programmed to get to the female half. Plants that are wind-pollinating tend to produce large amounts of pollen to ensure reproduction of future offspring.

Is Being Streetwise Really Wise?

Filed under: 3D Satellite Imagery, Satellite maps, gps

After showing off detailed satellite maps, companies are now focusing their attention on collecting 360-degree images of streets. Google, Microsoft, and Earthmine are competing with each other as they offer web-based navigation service to people who want to travel and to reach their destination without getting lost. These 3-D environments are also helpful to government agencies and real estate agents. Accurate visual images of properties can lead to near-accurate tax assessments, and can also save on-site tripping to see the for-sale properties and the surrounding neighborhoods in actual detail.

Satellite Maps + Internet = Dangerous???

Filed under: Satellite maps

I’ve been hearing talk and reading blogs about this subject for years.  I just never wrote about it until today.

Here’s the “dilemma”, if there really is one.  We have satellite map technology.  We have had this for years now.  We have the ability to see buildings in 3D with satellite imagery, and amazing landmarks.  And there is certainly no downside to that…on a personal level.  But what about at a government level?  What about the places where secret military operations take place that we don’t know anything about?  Well, we don’t know anything about them, but there are a few people that do.  And what if they mark down the name of that building in Google Maps or Google Earth, or some other satellite map program that anyone with internet access could see?  Like perhaps our military enemies?

Should I Bring my Raincoat?

Filed under: Satellite maps

For those of us who HATE being caught in a rainstorm unprepared with no umbrella, no boots or *shudder* wearing suede, here’s a good solution for you…

Accuweather.com uses satellite imagery and satellite maps to give you the most accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts you can get.  The site is really robust with features and options like still images, animated weather changes, relevant blogs, forums, predictive radar, a sidebar where you can add as many different cities as you want, for keeping track of climates in multiple locations.  And that’s not even close to everything they offer.