Have you ever wondered where you would reach if you dug a hole directly in the earth? Standing in your backyard, shoveling straight down until you reach the other side, where will you be? Tap or click here to see how Google Maps’ new feature takes navigation to the next level (literally).
Called an exponent point, this is the point on Earth just opposite where you are. Oceans make up more than 70% of Earth’s surface, so chances are good you’ll come across water.
It’s rather interesting, and there are a few ways to determine whether you’ll end up in the ocean or in someone else’s living room. Now you don’t need to wonder. Google’s new AR experiment will let you see what’s on the other side of the Earth.
Here’s how it works
Looking at the Mercator projection map, most Europeans and Americans believe that if you dig a hole directly through the center of the Earth you will end up in China. This can happen if you live in parts of Argentina and Chile.
Whether this is the case or not, Google has built a cool tool for Android devices called Flome to visualize the digging process. It allows anyone to “open augmented reality tunnels to the other side of the world in your browser”.
The app hooks up to your device’s camera, and once you point it at the floor, the virtual digging begins. After a few seconds, a portal will open indicating where your current antipodal point is.
Google has integrated Flume with Google Earth, so it gives you a description of the point and includes an aerial view of the location. Clicking on the Location tab, you’ll be shown a much larger view of the surrounding area via Google Earth.
But the excavation should not be straight down. By adjusting the angle of your instrument, you can change how your tunnel intersects the earth. This will give you a good idea of how small changes in angles can affect long-distance locations.
Flome is only available in Google’s Chrome browser for Android phones. It’s part of a number of AR tools Google announced recently, including a six-foot social distancing visualization.
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