It's well-known now that the much-heralded Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and Google Search to bring the world's latest geographic information to your computer.
But along with virtually flying through space to the neighbourhood you live in to see 3D terrain and buildings, you can also see car accidents and what look like interesting supernatural traffic events - including cars hovering in the air.
The hovering car was discussed in forums around the world, with UFO groups jumping in to comment on whether it was really a domestic earth car or visitors from outer space. The fact that the car had a shadow underneath that could not be explained was extremely mysterious.
A car accident in Brussels that caused a traffic jam miles long seen on Google Earth also ended up being a topic for online groups. The jam can be seen at: http://maps.google.com.
In Baghdad, a road traffic incident that could have been caused by a car accident or a traffic jam became a hotbed for political speculations about car bombs, military vehicles and aerial raids.
Car accident-spotting on Google Earth became such a popular activity that a rogue website was launched (completely unaffiliated with Google) called Google Sightseeing which has pictures of possible Google Earth accidents, and a commentary attached (road rage in Las Vegas, for example).
Studies of incidents include highway lorry collisions in Rotterdam; a spillage in Belfast; blue versus red cars in the UK; central reservations in Australia; road rage in Las Vegas; a burning car in Germany and a jackknifed lorry in Dallas.
Big-name sights started to appear like historical events including The Baghdad Traffic Incident (mentioned above), The Lotus Bridge, Potsdamer Platz and The Husky Stadium.
The best of the sights and the best of the rest can be seen in the Google Sightseeing Book (not a guide book), which is available for sale on the same site at: http://www.googlesightseeing.com.
Global jams and accidents online could provide research information It has been suggested that analysing traffic jams and accidents that appear on Google Earth may provide information that can be put towards better road traffic management to prevent road traffic accidents and personal injuries.
Car accidents and traffic jams in extremely congested areas of the world also provide sociological research data as they can look extremely bizarre in aerial shots. The networks of some road systems in California, USA, look vaguely like cancer cells.
Honda will soon add Google Earth to its 'Iternavi Premium Club' navigation service in Japan. The advanced navigation system, first launched in 2003, offers a wireless connection to the Internet to download the latest traffic information to built-in computers to arrive at a destination as quickly as possible while avoiding traffic jams and car accidents.
Visit Google Earth and see what you can find at www.google.com
From Google Earth to the influence of the moon While we're on the subject of planetary influence, there has also been some speculation that lunar effects may contribute towards car accidents. News reports on Bloomberg show that road traffic accidents occur 14 per cent more on average during a full moon than a new moon.
The moon has always been known to be a strong source of energy, affecting tides and the weather. It is possible that a full moon could radiate more of the sun's yang energy, making people on earth more aggressive and impatient and more likely to cause a car accident through rash and careless driving.
However, critics say that the studies are inconclusive and do not include data about weather, for example, which could interfere with and replace lunar influence.
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