Termite Mounds Are Visible On Google Earth
The advanced forms of technology that exist today could not have been imagined thirty years ago. Everything from the internet to iphones and to remote piloted drone aircrafts are radically changing the world as we know it. These complicated modern technologies are making certain aspects of life more convenient, depending on your point of view. Google Earth is only one example of the many modern technological marvels that are available to everyday people. Within seconds anyone with an internet connection can view up-to-date aerial photographs of any region in the world. Viewing aerial images through Google Earth has allowed people to learn things about the world that even the most intelligent engineers and futurists would not have predicted. For example, the satellite technology that allows modern people to use Google Earth has also allowed scientists and academics to observe natural land formations that most people would assume could not be viewed through this technology. It turns out that many different types of termite mounds can be visibly located by using Google earth. This technology has made the lives of many entomologists much easier.
Not long ago a study was published describing a natural land formation known as “fairy circles”. These land formations are unexplained circular patches that scientists have found in the grasslands of the Namib Desert. Many different theories as to what caused the mysterious circles have been put forth over the years. Eventually, researchers gathered enough evidence to safely assume that the circular patches were caused by termite activity. Recently these very patches have been located on aerial images that were accessed from Google Earth. Not long after these images were discovered, other insect experts used Google Earth to locate termite mounds in the country of Zambia located in Africa. Before long multiple termite mounds were located on Google Earth images. Cathedral mounds, for example, are odd types of termite mounds that are known for being tall. These mounds were located on Google Street View. Before Google Earth allowed entomologists to take stock of termite mounds from the internet, they had to travel to these hot arid locations and literally count the mounds before making educated guesses as to how many existed. Now Google Earth has proven that entomologists have been overestimating the amount of certain types of termite mounds that are located in various regions. Google Earth has improved research methods in the field of entomology. Several studies have been published that describe how Google Earth has led to more accurate data concerning termite mounds.
Do you believe that it would be easy to misidentify mound types by relying on aerial images taken from Google Earth?
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