Google Earth Reveals Oddities and Secrets

The editors at PC World spent some time using Google Earth to scour the surface of the planet, and they turned up some incredibly strange sights. The giant portrait of Oprah cut through a field by an Arizona farmer is one thing – you almost expect something like that – but the apparently natural phenomena are the truly mind-boggling ones. The image at left, for example, is an overhead view of a natural geological formation in Alberta, Canada. Locals call it The Badlands Guardian, but based on the ear phone, I’d prefer something more along the lines of The Early Adopter. And is it just me, or does that look like Sigmund Freud sitting atop the Guardian’s head?

In less entertaining news, Google Earth may have put the company on China’s bad side after the circulation of a satellite shot of what appears to be a new Chinese sub made the rounds on the web, according to IDG News.—Gregory Mone 

(Image credit: Google Earth)

Comments

[Geotrotter]

You could found here some amazing google maps sights : http://www.geo-trotter.com

[fenix]

Hey wow, are there any more pics?

[the constant skeptic]

great post, are there any intaglios in america besides the snake mound in ohio?

[Jose Sandoval]

So...Old...

http://www.josesandoval.com/2006/07/intelligent-life-on-earth.html

[dagoobe4]

how is ths spam? this is realley realley cool

[surfinsam]

Google Earth is super cool found a free download for it at getearthfree dot com.

[me]

I'm sorry to see popular science doesn't filter out profane comments like the one above. I guess this isn't a site for kids!

[Ed]

Wow, that picture is weird.

[Event Calendar]

I have to say that if this image hasn't been enhanced then it is pretty amazing. I'm not sure about "Sigmund Freud sitting atop the Guardian’s head?", but on closer imspection I see what looks like Van Gogh to the middle right edge of the frame looking up at an angle. Also, could this explain the face on Mars as a natural phenomenon?

[Guga]

Is the indian using a IPOD ?

[Spectacular Images]

This is a nice finding. You can view more amazing pictures captured by Google Earth by clicking on Posted By link below.

[Okinawa]

Ok.

[Matt]

It looks like a native american listening to an iPod.

Maybe the Village People?

[crustcake]

OK, not to be a nay-sayer-- the image is cool-- but it's not really that unbelieveable for a couple reasons.

1. The surface of the earth is vast and there are plenty of chances for a natural, 'random' formation to develop in a way that resembles something familiar to the human mind/eye.

2. The human mind is conditioned to recognize shapes and forms that are familiar. Think of a cartoon character's face. It doesn't REALLY look like a face-- there is much information missing-- but the mind fills in the gaps and sees something familiar.

[WPF]

Old. Old. Old. News. Yawn.

[AskTheAdmin]

Today is SysAdmin appreciation day - have you hugged your admin today? :)

http://www.asktheadmin.com/2007/07/system-administrator-appreciation-day.html

[mr73]

People like "WPF" think that simply because THEY have been exposed to information other's haven't that they are somehow "elevated" to comment about their boredom. *sign of immaturity*

Furthermore, "BillGay8s", obviously my previous comment certainly appliesto you as well, as your desire to use profane language simply puts your own lack of intelligent vocabulary on display for the entire world to see.

[Planet Malaysia]

Just wonder how long he/she spend on Google Earth

[Cary]

Very cool. But as for random, I don't think so. I think God has done a good job of putting little clues all over our Earth to remind us He is out there. I am sure some scientific thinks-he-knows-it-all will slam me for my Godly beliefs, proofs on my side for this one.

And as for the iPod, nah! Even a Native American would know better to use something less proprietary. I'd say it was a Creative Zen. ;-)

Cheers...

[Richard]

For some really amazing things people are doing with Google Earth take a look at Frank Taylor's Google Earth Blog site (and no, i'm not frank :) )

http://www.gearthblog.com/

[Michael Gabriel]

How large of an area is this formation?
Call me a skeptic but I think the odds of this being a natural formation are roughly the same as George Bush having formed an intelligent thought.

[Peter Schmit]

Holy Crap, it looks like an American Indian with a Maple Leaf hat! what are the chances!? any statistions out there?

[trademark registration]

Am I missing something here? That pictures does not look odd or strange to me. It's just a random image. People can be so superstitious sometimes...

[johnnyb]

This image is odd due it's obvious resemblance to the image of a human.
Coincidences happen all of the time. Given the unmeasurable number of events that have occurred since the beginning and the randomness of nature, it would be against the laws of chance to NOT have geographical features that resemble things we are familiar with.
I am an open minded individual with many unconventional views but do not quickly jump to conclusions.
The possibility that the origin of this formation is other than natural is possible, but very very far from probable.

[Full Of Secrets]

Fascinating. This better not be the work of some Google earth engineer siting in his cubicle and geting bored.