The hidden world of “how stuff works”

by kiwanja

When things work as they should, we often take them for granted, rarely stopping to think about their inner workings. It’s only when things go wrong, or something unusual happens, that we get a glimpse into the secret world of “how stuff works”.

This is an image from Google Earth, taken as a satellite passed over Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois. (Click on the image for a larger version). There must be thousands of pictures like this given the number of planes in the air at any one time, but it’s the first time one’s passed under my nose.

Thanks largely to the Internet, many of us have unprecedented access to satellite imagery we’d only have dreamed of a few years ago. Flying around landscapes trying to find our homes, for example – something many of us have done on Google Earth – would have likely cost tens of thousands of pounds not so long ago (and maybe friends in high places).

If you’ve ever wondered how satellite images work, this one might give you a clue. If you’re still not sure or are hungry for more, check out this useful resource. It’s all good stuff.

12 comments

1 Ken Banks { 05.30.11 at 1:51 pm }: "The Hidden World of How Stuff Works". Part #1 – The satellite image. http://is.gd/Ckb5ig #science #mapping
2 Johanna Vehkoo { 05.30.11 at 1:52 pm }: "The Hidden World of How Stuff Works". Part #1 – The satellite image. http://is.gd/Ckb5ig #science #mapping
3 Clarissa Middleton { 05.30.11 at 1:56 pm }: "The Hidden World of How Stuff Works". Part #1 – The satellite image. http://is.gd/Ckb5ig #science #mapping
4 Fr@nthro { 05.30.11 at 2:04 pm }: #anthro blog post: The hidden world of “how stuff works”: When things work as they should, we often take them… http://clct.me/xdvuo
5 Lewis Parker { 05.30.11 at 2:12 pm }: The hidden world of “how stuff works”: When things work as they should, we often take them for granted, rarely s… http://bit.ly/lNuLWB
6 The hidden world of “how stuff works” | Global Health Hub { 05.30.11 at 5:47 pm }: [...] See the rest here: The hidden world of “how stuff works” [...]
7 Sinom { 05.30.11 at 9:02 pm }: Thanks for the reminder! Check "The hidden world of how stuff works" and the linked resource. http://bit.ly/mpkanf
8 The hidden world of “how stuff works” | Global Health Hub { 05.31.11 at 2:23 am }: [...] Continued here: The hidden world of “how stuff works” [...]
9 Ted Hammock { 05.31.11 at 2:47 am }: "The Hidden World of How Stuff Works". Part #1 – The satellite image. http://is.gd/Ckb5ig #science #mapping
10 Ken Banks { 06.01.11 at 8:48 pm }: Cool photo of what happens when an aircraft flies through a satellite image. http://is.gd/Ckb5ig #science
11 jonfildes { 06.01.11 at 9:05 pm }: Cool photo of what happens when an aircraft flies through a satellite image. http://is.gd/Ckb5ig #science
12 Mike Hatfield { 06.01.11 at 10:27 pm }: They don’t all seem to do that… http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=bourne+end&aq=&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=23.456991,48.955078&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bourne+End,+Buckinghamshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.57714,-0.697047&spn=0.002997,0.005976&t=h&z=18