“By developing the first high-definition streaming video platform of Earth, UrtheCast plans to change the way we view the world.” So in other words, prepared to be amazed.
Don’t believe me? Watch:
UrtheCast is a high-definition resource that shows how small we actually are, by providing a real-world, up to-date video stream of the Earth. It seems fascinating and “out of this world” – no pun intended – but is it too much out of our world? Personally speaking I don’t know how I feel about UrtheCast, consider me on the fence.
“You will be able to scroll, pan, zoom, and search your way around the Earth”…sounds a lot like Google Earth with a sprinkle of YouTube. Its point of parity is clear, and its point of difference is restricted to its live streaming feature, but what is the practical realism of the implementation of such a program? Or should I be asking what are the consequences of installing such a device on the International Space Station?
Seeing pictures of natural disasters, or war efforts overseas on the television is emotional and captivating, seeing shootings unfold or tsunamis wash away houses in the moment, watching something like that unfold in front of your eyes would be something else. At least those pictures that are shown on the news channel have taken the time to keep individuals’ identity private, and are being monitored as to what is considered appropriate for showing.
How can UrtheCast guarantee that this freedom they are claiming to give us, won’t be too much? They say that UrtheCast will “change the way we view the world”. Hopefully this is not for the worse.