Google Earth As An Investigative Tool

My March 10th blog entry discussed how geospatial-based Web 2.0 technologies are being used to improve situational awareness for emergency preparedness and response. Related to this, Tech Crunch, one of the leading blogs that focuses on new Internet technologies and products, has reported on how one such technology – Google Earth – has helped solve a two and a half-year-old missing plane crash. While it may not be directly related to homeland security per se, it demonstrates the power of GIS technologies and provides evidence that many meaningful applications are yet to be discovered.