Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Virtual Tourism Videos

Virtual Tourism

http://www.virtualtourism.blogspot.com

Tour the world from the air, viewing videos along the way.

With nearly 400 geographically organized YouTube videos to explore, Virtual Tourism have crafted this KML offering a dual perspective of the world - from the air and from the ground. From the red centre of Australia to the bustling cityscapes of Manhattan, this KML is sure to whet any explorer's appetit.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/virtual_tourism_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/virtual_tourism_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth 4.2

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

On The Road

Michael Hess

http://littourature.blogspot.com

Geographically explore "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac.

How people tell stories through KML is something that interests many of us. Previously, we featured a KML showing Jack Kerouac's "On The Road". This KML of the same novel, focuses on the main character; Sal Paradise and follows the travels across America. Each placemark contains information relating back to the relevant chapter, providing a better understanding of the places mentioned.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/on_the_road_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/on_the_road_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Influenza Seasonality in Brazil

Origem Scientific Consultancy

http://www.origem.info

View a fascinating animation exploring influenza trends in Brazil.

In this KML, you can view a powerful visualiztion of influenza seasonality in Brazil. Using a variety of overlays and polygons, Wladimir J. Alonso and Andre Marra, from the Origem Scientific Consultancy have annotated data collected on top of the viewer, making available to us all the findings of studies into the circulation of influenza and pneumonia. Be sure to press the time animation play button (in the top of the view) to view the animation.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/influenza_brazil_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/influenza_brazil_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

New Seven Wonders of the World in Video

MIBAZAAR

http://www.mibazaar.com

You've seen the new seven wonders from space, now get a ground level perspective.

The latest version of Google Earth 4.2 enables YouTube videos to be embedded into the placemark description balloons. In this example "Mibazaar" has included YouTube videos to match the new seven wonders of the world. So now, not only can you view these spectacles from space, but you can see them from the ground too.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small//seven_wonders_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/seven_wonders_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth 4.2

Live coverage of the San Diego fires from KPBS

KPBS

http://www.kpbs.org

See live coverage of the San Diego fires from KPBS

Beginning on October 20, 2007, wildfires began to ravage areas of Southern California. See continuing updates of the San Diego fires, including evacuated areas, courtesy of KPBS's coverage.

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/z0302a1700/earth_fire_sm.jpg

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/z0302a1700/earth_fire_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Uptown Square, Chicago

MMNeighbors.com

http://www.magnoliamaldenneighbors.com

View a 3D model of uptown Chicago

This KML shows an area of Chicago with a rich history and renewed development. The Magnolia / Maldenne neighbors association have created this 3D model allowing you to view the regeneration that has taken place in the area. Using Sketchup (a 3D modelling tool), 3D bars, restaurants and banks have been placed on top of the map to show the onogoing economic development. This combined use can prove particularly useful for town planners and other groups wanting to provide an overview of changes taking place.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/uptown_square_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/uptown_square_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

NOAA Estuarine Bathymetry

NOAA

http://estuarinebathymetry.noaa.gov

Think the terrain above land is varied? Try going underwater!

Many of us have seen those terrain shaded maps which show the variable terrain above ground - but what about our "blue planet"? NOAA have created this KML which allows you to explore bathymetric (the study of water depth) data for many of America's esturies. To view, click on the placemark description bubble and open the top option "View Bathymetry". This will load an image overlay of the data captured, using a shaded relief scale. This kind of use is beneficial for many scientific studies - from erosion to navigation.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/noaa_bathy_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/noaa_bathy_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Megalithic Portal

Megalithic Portal

http://www.megalithic.co.uk

View an extremely comprehensive KML, exploring our ancient planet.

A megalith is a large stone or boulder that was used in the creation of a monument - Stonehenge being the most famous example. There are thousands of these structures located around the world - from Australia to the UK. Now, you can explore a KML that has geographically organized many of the sites into one detailed file. Viewing tip: Please allow a few moments for this KML to load and avoid turning on all folders at the same time.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/megalithic_portal_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/megalithic_portal_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Alaska Field Trip

ATEEC

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1023607

Go on a virtual field trip to Alaska and explore the fragile ecosystem.

The Alaskan landscape is truely one of the Earth's most beautiful spectacles. This area is capable of providing many energy resources, particularly fossil fuels. But with this comes a risk that the fragile ecosystem will be damaged. In this beautifully designed KML, students can take a virtual field trip to Alaska and explore the current issues there. Along with text, photos and links, questions are asked of the students enabling them to consider the many factors involved in environmental planning. This is a prime example of using Google Earth to enhance and enrich an individual's education - through geography.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/alaska_tour_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/alaska_tour_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Monday, October 8, 2007

A Tour of Hadrian's Wall

The CORIA Project

http://thecoriaproject.org.uk

Take an aerial tour of Hadrian's Wall from the Roman Empire.

Built after Roman Emperor Hadrian's visit in AD 122, Hadrian's wall is probably the most important monument from the Roman empire. Now, through the CORIA project's KML, Hadrian's wall is made more accessible to us all in this fascinating KML. Descriptions, photos, links and boundaries lines are all include to provide a highly educational experience of Hadrian's Wall.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/hadrians_wall_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/hadrians_wall_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Geographically Organized Webcams

Webcams.travel

http://www.webcams.travel

See what the world is up to right now!

With nearly 3000 webcams collected, Webcams.travel's KML offers a real insight into what the world is up to right now! Click on the placemark to view an image of the webcam and see what's going on in that part of the world. Naturally, we think these webcams are all the better for being geographically organized.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/webcams_travel_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/webcams_travel_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

The World in Panoramic View

viewAt.org

http://viewat.org

View the locations where high quality panoramas were captured, then view them.

ViewAt.org have provided this KML which lets you fly around the globe exploring hundreds of high quality panoramic images taken by everyday people. Each placemark offers an image preview, a brief description and link to the full panorama. By using a network link, any new panoramas can be updated dynamically without you having to download new versions.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/view_at_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/view_at_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Solar Eclipses: Past, Present and Future

Xavier Jubier

http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/SolarEclipsesGoogleEarthGallery.html

View detailed information about solar eclipses in this innovative KML.

Anyone who has witnessed a solar eclipse knows how spectacular the event is. In this very detailed KML, Xavier Jubier shows where and when each stage of the eclipse took place by using lines to show the paths taken. Detailed data showing co-ordinate and time information is also included inside the placemark description bubbles. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring this fascinating look at solar eclipses; past, present and future.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/solar_eclipses_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/solar_eclipses_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Australia's National Pollutant Inventory

Andrew Mitchell

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1001470

Explore Australia's National Pollutant Inventory in a rich geospatial context.

Using polygons to provide a powerful representation of the data, Andrew Mitchell has crafted this comprehensive KML showing information about the pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere. Each placemark shows the location of a company along with tabular data contained within the placemark description bubble about the pollutants detected.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/npi_data_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/npi_data_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

Monday, October 1, 2007

London Eye Animation

James Stafford

http://www.barnabu.co.uk

Ride on the London Eye without having to stand in a queue!

Standing proud above the London skyline is the London Eye. Measuring 135 meters (442.9 feet), it is a popular tourist attraction for millions every year wishing to enjoy views across London. One of the downsides to the Eye being so popular is of course the queues, but now there is a solution - ride it in Google Earth using this animated model created by James Stafford. To view, press the play button located next to the time slider and allow to run through a view times. Once loaded, you can move around the eye and create your own travel experience using the information in the "Layers". View user supplied photos in Geographic Web > Panoramio, Wikipedia articles in Geographic Web > Wikipedia, 3D Buildings in the 3D buildings layer and user supplied information in the Google Earth Community layer. Then, see what other goodies are contained within other Layers.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/london_eye_animation_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/london_eye_animation_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth

The Multicolor Sky

The AEGIS collaboration

http://aegis.ucolick.org

Multicolor views of the distant Universe, from X-rays to the infrared.

The AEGIS project is studying a small area of the sky using every possible color (or energy) of light. This file presents both multicolor images and an interactive redshift catalog from AEGIS. Each image---X-ray, ultraviolet, optical (Hubble), or infrared---gives us different information about the evolution of galaxies and massive black holes over the past 10 billion years. The redshift (or z) provides a measure of distance - the farther we look in space, the farther we also look back in time. In addition, the redshift catalog provides links to the spectra of individual galaxies.

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/aegis_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/aegis_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth 4.2

Crab Nebula Animation

Joey P. Wade

View a spectacular animation of the Crab Nebula.

Located over 6000 light years from our planet, the Crab Nebula is the result of a supernova explosion first witnessed in 1054 AD. In this animation, created by Joey P. Wade, slides from a YouTube video have been overlaid and animated inside Google Sky. To view, press the play button next to the time animation slider and allow to run through a few times (this is to let the images load). Then sit back and enjoy!

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/small/crab_nebula_sm.jpg

http://earth.google.com/gallery/images/large/crab_nebula_lg.jpg

Open in Google Earth 4.2