Interesting
25 Mysterious Places Google Earth Doesn’t Want You to See
Censoring these locations has logical reasons, such as security, privacy concerns, and trade secrets. However, this doesn’t stop conspiracy theorists from having a field day.
We all had that fun experience of navigating through Google Earth to see different places we only dream of seeing. Imagine being virtually in any country or tourist destination with only a click of your mouse. This inspires the inner travelers and amateur geographers inside us.
But did you know that there are some places that we are not allowed to see? If you tried zooming in these destinations, you would only likely see pixelated or blurred images. Censoring these locations has logical reasons, such as security, privacy concerns, and trade secrets. However, this doesn’t stop conspiracy theorists from having a field day.
Although hundreds of sites have been covered up on Google Earth, some of these places can be freely visited by regular citizens. Others are restricted due to contamination and health risks. But whatever the case is, it only further arouses the curiosity of people.
Mysterious Russian site near the Siberian tundra.
This blurred patch on Google Maps could be hiding anything from nuclear missiles, weapons interceptors, or a testing facility. Due its remote location and censored state, it is hard to learn the truth.
Michael Army Airfield, Utah
Conspiracy theorists and alien believers call this place the new Area 51 in Utah. However, the US government admitted that the area is indeed a chemical weapons test site, blurred due to security reasons.
The Royal Palace, Amsterdam
Despite being one of Amsterdam’s top attractions, you could not visit this location via Google Earth. Everything around the palace can be seen clearly, though.
Tantauco National Park, Chile
Locally known as ‘Parque Tantauco’, it is a privately owned natural reserve open to the public. However, you have no chances of seeing it on Google Maps. Zooming it would only give you a blurred pixelated image.
Russian Energy Executive Alexey Miller's House
Unlike Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg who have offered the public a peak of their mansions, Alexey Miller, one of the richest men in Russia, values his privacy. Too much, apparently, to the point of canceling Google Earth a view of his house.
Cornell University Power Plant
Cornell University has been trying to lessen their carbon emission for years. With combined heat and power plant, they were able to successfully achieve their goal.But it seems they are trying to protect it from others by having their location blurred on Google Earth.
Minami Torishima Airport, Japan
This one runway airport was a military airstrip which was controlled by the United States until 1993. It was turned over to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in 2009, including all the secrets that is hidden from Google Maps.
Colonel Sanders EVERYWHERE
Probably one of the oddest addition on the list, but actually the most logical one. Since Colonel Sanders is an actual person, Google Maps’ policy clearly indicates that the face should be blurred. Not much of a mystery here.
Keowee Dam, South Carolina
This dam helps run a nuclear power utility which many of its critics fear failing like the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan. Perhaps the map was blurred to prevent paranoid over thinkers to check the dam every five minutes.
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada
Conspiracy theorists claim that the black strip over Baker Lake hides alien beacons the government is trying to hide from us.
Mobil Oil Corporation Facilities, Buffalo, New York
Unlike other location where threat and security are main reasons for censorship, it is unclear why Mobil Oil Corporation Facilities in Buffalo, New York shows as a blurry blob on the map.
US Air Force Ramstein Airforce Base, Germany
Dubbed as one of the most important US Air Force Base for America’s ‘war on terror’, this place is often ignored by media. However, the attention of blurring its images on Google Earth is probably one of the indications of its importance.
This Random Patch of the Pacific Northwest
Located near the Oregon-Washinton Border, it is unclear why the area had been blurred on Google Maps.
Szazhalombatta Oil Refinery, Hungary
It is odd to see just patches of green(like a huge baseball field) on an area that is supposed to contain tanks and valves of oil. Thus, it can’t stop people from wondering, what’s the big deal?
Babylon, Iraq
Babylon was a once famed ancient city that was witness to many wars that almost tore it apart. Iraqi officials wanted to open this site as a tourist destination, though. It is quite hard to understand, then, why Google Maps is not allowed.
ALL of North Korea
With the kind of government and policies the company strictly implements within its boundaries, it is not a surprise that we could not sneak a peak on this country.
Reims Airbase, France
The French Airbase remains active today, but we really couldn’t tell what lies beyond we are not allowed to see.
Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, New York
The warning notice says it all. Any threat to this power plant would be truly devastating, thus it is blurred for security.
Volkel Air Base, Netherlands
Volkel Air Base is a military airbase used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and just like every air base censored on Google Earth, security is the utmost reason.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas, California
This racetrack is used for both auto-racing and motorcycle racing. No threat for national security here, but Google Earth thinks otherwise.
Missile Silo In Spain
This missile launch facility in Spain is unavailable for viewers of Google Maps, but can be seen on Yahoo maps.
HAARP Site, Gakona, Alaska
This High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program was blamed by the conspiracy theory community for causing extreme weather disturbances all over the world. Having it censored on Google Earth only feeds the idea.
NATO Headquarters, Portugal
Considering that NATO’s main purpose is to safeguard its members freedom and security, it is no surprise to secure its headquarters first.
Seabrook Nuclear Facility, New Hampshire
Just like any other power plant, having high security measures is understandable since any threat to it is also a threat to all the citizens around it.
Elmira Correctional Facility, New York
Being a maximum security state prison and a place where high-profile inmates are brought, the blurring of the view from Google Earth might be an attempt to avoid aerial escapes of the prisoners.