Google Earth

Hey all, we're going to start talking about ecological and evolutionary processes that occur on large spatial and temporal scales. Two of the tools we biologists use to look at these are called Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing. We're the first generation that has access to tools that lets us monitor the entire globe--from ocean temperatures to cloud cover to terrestrial and oceanic primary productivity to forest cover change--and use these tools to answer scientific questions.

GIS and Remote Sensing used to be the realm of techno-shaman like Sassan Saatchi at the Jet Propoulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. (His work on African and Neotropical forests is amazing.) Not anymore. A free version of Google Earth (GE) is available online and has democratized remote sensing and GIS so that even first-timers can ask global-scale questions about remotely sensed data, and also archive data in ways that clearly communicate this to others. For example, the global spread of Avian flu is being monitored using Google Earth, and GE is also being used to aid the earthquake relief effort in Pakistan. There is a great blog that you can use to see some of the uses of Google Earth. The blog also has tips about setting up Google Earth for maximum utility.

After you get Google Earth set up, click this link and open the folders under your "places" and start double clicking on these African animal photos take on Michael Fay's African Megatransect.

And, blow your mind with the geological tours at this site. Tons of great information on how the earth works. It has tons of remote sensing covering mountain ranges, the Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, earthquakes, etc.