1. You
can’t see EVERYTHING on Google Maps. It’s estimated there are 51 things you
aren’t allowed to see their maps for security or privacy concerns, including
The White House, U.S. Capitol, certain military bases and embassies around the
world, energy and nuclear sites, and even a few schools, private businesses,
and certain towns are blurred.
2. Sites
in hostile territories and rouge nations are often blurred out, as is the case
with maps of North Korea, where you can only see low-res images of a few roads
and other sites, but little in detail.
3. The
owners of the satellites Google uses can choose to blur other certain areas.
Additionally, Governments, businesses, municipalities, and even private parties
can petition Google to blur their location.
4. Are
you obsessed with movies about end of the world and a nuclear apocalypse? Using
Google’s Maps framework and a bit of programming tweaks, you can watch what
would happen if a nuclear bomb happened to be detonated in your city.
5. If
you thought Google Earth and its affiliated applications couldn’t get any
cooler, consider that Google Earth includes a flight simulator so you can
cruise over the earth like a top pilot! From the tools menu, just select “Enter
Flight Simulator” and then you get to choose which aircraft you want to fly in,
as well as what location you want to take off from. Amazing!
6. Using
Google Maps to scan a bird’s eye view, a 1,000 year old “fish trap” constructed
with stones set underwater was discovered off the coast of England.
7. Copyright
violators should think twice about copying Google Maps and using them for their
own. In fact, Google strategically inserts fake street names and features in
their maps. Called “Copyright Easter Eggs,” they make it easy for Google to
prove someone pirated their map – and take legal action against the offender.
8. Want
to try a cool real estate function on Google Maps? If you go on the site and
search for “homes,” it will produce a map of all the homes that are for sale in
your area, including their prices.
9. Likewise,
type in ‘*’ in the search field on Google Maps, and all of your local
businesses will show up.
10. And
if you press number 3 while looking at Google street view, a cool red-cyan 3D
view will appear. However, you’ll need a pair of red-cyan glasses (3D glasses)
to view it in 3D.
11. Google
Maps isn’t always used flawlessly around the world. In fact, Nicaraguan troops one
time marched across the border into neighboring Costa Rica, burned a protected
forest, dredged the San Juan river and dumped the contents, just because their
commanding officer used Google Maps to plan his maneuver instead of military
charts. Oops!
12. Where
does the imagery for Google Maps and Google Earth? In fact, the satellite
imagery for both mapping sites comes from a host of sources and third-party
providers. It’s not data that’s exclusive to Google, as the imagery is actually
available to anyone who wants to purchase it from these available public,
government, commercial or private sector sources.
13. More
than ever, Google Earth and Google Maps is an interactive experience, as you
can set your own points of interest while adding your own descriptions and
photographs, which will be superimposed on your map. Simply go to Create and
Share Custom Google Maps to see how you can create your own fun and personal
cartographic experiences.
14. In
some ways, Google Earth picks up where Google Maps ends, as Google’s less
popular site offers many features you can’t access on Google Maps.
15. With
Google Earth, you can explore remote and isolated parts of our earth where
there are no streets or cities, including the rainforests, the base camp of
Mount Everest, Polar Regions and oceans.
16. Thanks
to our space exploration program, you can now even explore digital satellite imagery
of the Moon and Mars on Google Earth!
17. Google
Maps can display up-to-the-minute traffic conditions in many part of the UK,
allowing drivers to avoid busier and clogged roads. That feature is expected to
expand to many more bumper-to-bumper and busy cities around the world.
18. Google’s
Street View is taking their Maps and Earth programs to the next level. You can
now explore world landmarks, natural wonders, and other notable spots, as well
as two areas under the earth, including the subterranean ALICE caverns and
Akiyoshi-do caves in Japan.
19. Google’s
Street View function can document real life from a street-view, or person’s eye
level perspective, with amazing detail and resolution. But what about
protecting the privacy of those people who happened to be in these images?
Google uses technology that automatically blurs every face in Street View, and
even blurs license plate numbers on cars!
20. Street
View even allows you to “enter” certain buildings, like museums, art galleries,
important public buildings, libraries and restaurants, etc., and get a
360-degree view!
21. You
can even take a “virtual walk” through the White House, the Palace of Versailles,
the Roman Coliseum, and the tallest building in the world.
22. Google
has partnered with thousands of business owners in the U.S., UK, Australia, New
Zealand, France, Canada, Ireland and the Netherlands to bring you these
features, and is rapidly expanding their reach.
23. In
fact, you can enter 156 museums around the world, including The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, using the Google Art Project – without worrying about buying a
ticket, long lines, or hours of operation!
24. Street
View and other Google features may be revolutionizing how we document our
world, but that sometimes comes with awkward situations. For instance, there
are plenty of times where people are caught on camera doing illicit,
inappropriate (or even illegal!) things in Google’s images.
25. Google
scans for and removes as many of these occurrences as they can, but users can
also report them by clicking "Report a problem" at the bottom of the
image.
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