An amazing project is going on at the ESA (European Space Agency) to create the most detailed surface map of the world every created, with a resolution three times sharper than any created before. Envisat’s Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) instrument will be used to capture the images which are estimated to take up to 20 terabytes of disk space! “The completed GLOBCOVER map will have numerous uses, including plotting worldwide land use trends, studying natural and managed ecosystems and modeling climate change extent and impacts“. When you look at these images the world looks a whole lot smaller. It is expected to take two years to complete.
Any ‘Ghost in the Shell‘ fans out there will be familiar with the concept of “thermoptic camouflage” where you trick the eye into thinking an object is invisible by projecting an image of what’s behind it onto its masked surface. Now some crazy Japanese scientists have taken another step forward in turning science-fiction into science-fact with their proof-of-concept demonstrations of just that! Whilst it’s still heavily in development the videos on the site show that it’s definitely progressing. It’s kind of scary when reality actually starts to mirror fiction but it’s a fitting testiment to Masamune Shirows futuristic vision (if a somewhat nightmarish one!).
R.E. My last post – Election night was boring and predictable as expected. British politics is dead in terms of true democracy, it needs a serious shot of life injected back into it.
“What’s with the fish? I hear you shout! Think about 1999. Cool 🙂
Reply