Google Earth's Surreal, 'Melted' Bridges (PICTURES)

The 3D mapping service Google Earth grants users a bird's-eye view of craggy mountaintops, sprawling suburbs, and crowded cityscapes. Users can even travel underwater for a look at the seafloor.

Google Earth explorers who view these satellite images sometimes come across astonishing, otherworldly sights. Artist and programmer Clement Valla, for example, has collected dozens of images of warped bridges spotted from California to the Catskills. Geekosystem explains that the pictures "[consist] of bridges zoomed in upon in Google Earth just so, revealing surreal, bendy, glitch-infused landscapes."

Valla's unusual collection puts an alien twist on familiar sights. "I travel through Google Earth looking for strange mappings of the 2 dimensional onto the 3 dimensional that provide fabulous and unintentional distortions. These images are like funhouse mirrors - strange illusions and reflections of the real," Valla said in a statement.

Valla himself acknowledged the impermanence of these surreal finds. "[A]s Google Earth improves its 3d models, its terrain, and its satellite imagery, these strange, surrealist depictions will probably be replaced with better representations," the artist said.

Take a look through the slideshow (below) to view these strange, beautiful photos of bridges seen via Google Earth. The entire collection can be viewed at Clement Valla's website. For more strange sights, check out our roundup of the most mysterious images from Google Earth.

Comments

[JaxReader]

05:35 PM on 03/25/2011

I thought it was Pawlenty's version of Google Maps.

[Euglena Vorticella]

08:59 PM on 03/18/2011

Looks like an "E-Ticket" Ride!

[LaughingMan]

10:05 AM on 03/18/2011

Very Dali-esque.

All that's missing is a few melted clocks.

[Richard Schall]

09:55 AM on 03/18/2011

Thank you Salvadore.

[gsh man]

08:52 PM on 03/17/2011

They look like what I did with my Hot Wheels plastic tracks for toy cars when I was a kid.

[1oldhippie]

08:42 PM on 03/17/2011

If you need a smile, try google maps, driving directions, from Tokyo to San Diego CA

[Ivyleaguequaker]

01:43 AM on 03/19/2011

Ha, that's a good one, someone at google maps has a sense of humor! Thanks for that.

[Ivyleaguequaker]

02:00 AM on 03/19/2011

OK, I found out that if you want to travel from Tokyo to Beijing Google recommends using a jet ski for the ocean portion of the trip! Yes, I had fun with this, Thanks!!!

[Lex10]

12:39 PM on 03/17/2011

whee!

[SuBLiMeKiD]

11:46 AM on 03/17/2011

Boring.

[petebouch]

10:50 AM on 03/17/2011

Check out the tsunami swallowing up the Eastern side of the Rock of Gibraltar. (I hope pointing this out doesn't offend anyone affected by the very real earthquake and tsunami in Japan, where a horrific disaster is still unfolding)

[LiberalScoop]

06:29 PM on 03/17/2011

I'll back you, Pete. Thanks being concerned about that. Just sayin.'

[Debbi Mihelic]

12:19 AM on 03/17/2011

Reminds me of Sim City.

[StevenevetS]

04:45 PM on 03/16/2011

Cheap asphalt. 'Melts in the sun.

[Checkpoint Charlie]

12:35 PM on 03/16/2011

I'd catch some crazy air off that! :)

[notmytime]

12:28 PM on 03/16/2011

now THIS would make my commute so much more interesting!!

[JScott]

11:34 AM on 03/16/2011

10th one I think it the junction of the I-5 & St. Rte. 14 in Santa Clarita Ca. there currently is construction there, but it's been reconstructed twice after the Sylmar and Northridge earthquakes.
Mayble they should make it flexible like it shows they wouldn't have to rebuild it every time there's an earthquake. It'd be an amusment park ride like in Six Flags Magic Mountain a few miles north on the I-5.

[moralmajority]

05:02 PM on 03/17/2011

I believe you are correct, I drive through this thing monday through Friday

[-swift]

10:52 AM on 03/16/2011

Aw man. Now I wanna play Sim City.

[MaxPowerXP]

11:23 AM on 03/16/2011

Well, at least I know I'm not the only one.

[wonmean]

11:55 AM on 03/16/2011

:D