Canuckerbird Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 So apparently, an island near Australia called Sable Island, that had been clearly visible and marked on Google Earth, and other online maps, has been "undiscovered". That is, when a team went to where the island was supposed to be, it simply wasn't there. http://travel.cnn.com/scientists-undiscover-sandy-island-south-pacific-560026?hpt=hp_c3 An international scientific expedition has revealed a South Pacific island roughly the size of Manhattan and clearly marked on online maps and marine charts does not, in fact, exist. The 'undiscovery' of the island -- which until now was midway between Australia and New Caledonia -- highlights how much there still is to learn about the oceans, scientists say. “We saw this mysterious island on all the scientific maps and weather maps but not on this one navigational chart that was on our ship,” Ph.D student Sabin Zahirovic, part of the research team on board the RV Southern Surveyor, told CNN. “So we decided to go see if it was actually there.” The island, identified as Sandy Island by Google Maps and Sable Island on others, was supposed to be quite large in size -- 156 square kilometers (60 square miles) -- but the ship sailed right through the area where the island was supposed to be. The team on board the RV Southern Surveyor found nothing but waves and a deep sea bed. “The captain was actually quite nervous because the island was showing up on all the maps,” Zahirovic said. The undiscovery was made during the ship's voyage this month. Although the team had originally planned to check out the existence of the island during the day, they had arrived at the location of the island at night due to a navigational error. “We were watching all of our depth-sounding equipment. Luckily for us the sea floor turned out to be very deep there,” said Zahirovic, who is studying tectonic evolution of the eastern Coral Sea. Although the undiscovery of the island was not part of the original research mission of the international team of scientists led by University of Sydney's Dr. Maria Seton, the implications of the wrong maps are significant. “All the scientific cartography relies on these maps, and numerical simulations of waves and currents depend on size of these land forms,” said Zahirovic. “It just goes to show the oceans are so underexposed. It’s actually really shocking that we haven’t not found more islands.” When asked about the Google Maps mistake, a Google spokesperson told CNN that keeping on top of changes is a "never-ending endeavor," and that Google will continuously explore ways to integrate new information from users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blame Obama Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 lol that's crazy, How long did they think the island was there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Huh? We just watched a documentary on the wild horses of Sable Island. This is a google maps mistake then? It's a little unsettling that a major transportation carrier wouldn't use a more proven scientific mapping system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g_bassi13 Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 The Mysterious Island? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niloc009 Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboose Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Previously, on Lost... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobble Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 "LOL, how original" -Atlantis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Sable Island, the one with the wild horses, is off the coast of Nova Scotia. Sandy Island is the south pacific one that was apparently wiped off the map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73 Percent Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 dang... looks like I'll have to re-plan my vacation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Huh? We just watched a documentary on the wild horses of Sable Island. This is a google maps mistake then? It's a little unsettling that a major transportation carrier wouldn't use a more proven scientific mapping system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire_Spiky Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 So either someone screwed the pooch and there was never an island there to begin with OR it was there and now its gone like Atlantis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:D Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Although the undiscovery of the island was not part of the original research mission of the international team of scientists led by University of Sydney's Dr. Maria Seton, the implications of the wrong maps are significant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denguin Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Looks like Google just blacked it out on satellite. https://maps.google.ca/ -19.197053,159.927979 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeak Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Looks like Google just blacked it out on satellite. https://maps.google.ca/ -19.197053,159.927979 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Doctor Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 OMG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetcoaster Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Obviously due to an anomaly in the space-time continuum. See: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainly Mattias Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 interesting. i just heard about an opposite occurrence. a sailor and his family were eating and weren't paying attention to where they were sailing (actually east of Australia too.. oddly enough). they almost ran into an island that hadn't shown up on any map. edit: east, not west.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryten Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. We're doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovech Trick Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 It must be the Life of Pi island Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gumballthechewy Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Maybe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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