Bird with its GPS...

                             

(c) Owner

Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved.

Ask the trees for directions, and it answers

You hear it on ancient myths – the tree of wisdom or so tree of knowledge, known for connecting heaven and the underworld. One of the two sacred trees in the Garden of Eden, described in the Book of Genesis. The forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil, which had been the instrument to the Fall of Man.

It is self-explanatory; you can define it with your own perspective and knowledge. And now, do you think its still exist? If you play the hit game Plants vs. Zombies, then you knew that it is really helpful. Giving you hints and trick of the said game but that was only in video games. How about in reality? At some point maybe, no – actually you can ask all the trees and expect that they answer you. Of one of the most important question: “Where to go?”

Trees don’t just give you shelter, produce paper for you and so much more. Those also help you navigate in the wild forest, their branches and shape could tell you the story. Just in fact that the trees are never symmetrical and are heavier on one side.

Two methods are known to decode their navigating secrets. One is, how the sun influenced the way they grew and how the wind shaped them. But you cannot get right directions only by a single tree because of competition for the sunlight. You need to find at least the biggest and baldest knowing that they grew first.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Sun spend time a lot in the southern sky – so this will be the basis of such natural navigation. The branches that usually appear heavier are those pointing at the southern sky. Because of the enough sunlight that these branches get, they look healthier for that weight it projects and usually grows horizontally. And those which seem pointing upwards are those pointing at northern side, searching for the sun.

Looking at the top branches of trees could help you too; by giving you idea on how they are combed by the wind. The wind usually blows from the southwest going to the northeast. Thus, the exposed trees often show a bend towards northeast and so, the opposite side is the southwest. Works in towns too.

Moss on trees could also tell you where’s the southern skies is. Very simple, the moss at the bottom of tree which appears dry and thinner is facing the southern. Because of the exposure to the heat of the sun, giving you a hint that the shaded are on which healthier moss is, will be probably the northern direction.

The hillside, answers for you too. Just a few words for it, the more trees that it grows are the southern skies because of the abundance of sunlight; while the lesser trees are the northern side. Direct and simple.

See, trees could actually give you knowledge that you need in the wild. Thanks them too for providing you fruits, shade and peace while you're in the wild!

Source: Natural Navigator, Dans Depot

Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved.

The Navigating Sound

The Bats

In Time

In Time

The Navigating Wings: Pigeons on Track

Don’t know where to go? Ask a pigeon then and you’re lucky if they could answer you. They just don’t fly because they have wings, they trip to, they look for foods, they migrating or what – they actually fly because they know where to go!

Researchers just found out that this flying traveler has cells in their brain that could interpret the Earth’s magnetic fields allowing them to locate and sense direction. The built-in GPS technology inside its brain works like an advanced compass, as these cells signals the direction, polarity, and intensity of a certain magnetic field also inclination, angle and latitude guiding them home. Believed it, they could record data too!

This capability is known as magnetoreception where in the senses are so sensitive with the presence of magnetic field and changes of it; including eyes, ears and nose. Certain receptors are located in the primary senses transmit information as electrical signals.  

Woah!  What a great moment to fly with them. And so the GPS technology that we have today is only a model of what Pigeons possessed. No doubt that they are the early messengers of the ancient days.

                                                                (c) Charlie Weingroff

Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved. 

Funny GPS!

                                           
                                           (c) MemeCenter

Butterfly in Space

(c) NASA

GPS in Case of Emergency

The ward -- a place of life and death, hearing prayers and cries for survival.  A place of joy for birth and a sorrowful place for death.  The white walls are the witness of those dramatic scenes and sufferings of innocent lives. Now, does it worth to stay in a ward? Or you will do anything just to run away?

Maybe for some, who can’t stay any longer, do break out. Longing for “freedom” to once again live a “normal” life, to eat three or four times a day, to watch their favorite TV series and to chat with their loved ones and friends. Though you feel being cared of, by nurses and doctors and treated as well you will still feel comfortable staying in home because you know it’s your one and only nursery.

 GPS technology is one of the best prescribed remedy for patient while they're in a hospital. When an ambulance arrives, nurses are into rush, putting them into stretcher and a GPS device too. With the system a doctor can locate the exact room, exact floor in real-time and immediately proceed where the patient is, without any further notifications from any medical staffs, just the technology.

During the stay of the patients, it is still vital to use such tracking system and so medical staffs could track the patient who tries to escape and unconsciously gone somewhere and return them into their respective rooms. Works on crash carts, medicine and equipments too, so they could know where to get it when in need.

Imagine a fast and smooth phase in a building of hope and despair, faith and redemption, caring and letting go. When the ambulance once again arrives, put a GPS device and run to the ER. Global positioning system will then alarm the man in white and with those magical and gracious hands, one life has been saved.

Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved. 

Ancient GPS Series: Philippines, The Balangay Riders

Be in a place where everyone smiles and laughs. Be touched with cool waves and cold breeze at a world-class beach resort. Witness fabulous and extravagant festivals, and eat with your bare hands. Traditions that are well-preserved and the incredible works of nature, from a perfect cone mountain, rich coral reefs, perfect powdered sand and the outstanding morena skinned ladies. Dwell in a place of love and warm hospitality; embrace the unique beauty of the Philippines. 

The Balangay, the first wooden boat to sail on the ancient waters of the South East Asia.  Approximately 3 meters wide and 18 meters long, big enough to load cargo for international trades. Thus, a symbol of the mighty seafarers and a mark how creative and fit for survival the early Filipino was. Skilled enough to steer by the sun, locate the stars, follow the wind, read the clouds, depend on wave patterns and site the migration of the birds. And yes, that’s how the Balangay Riders venture the lively seas. 

Ancient mariners could navigate only with what the nature tell them, for we all know that sun rise at the east and sets on the west, they would also rely with the position of particular stars. Cloud formations could help too to advise them for weather conditions and a lot more from the signs of nature that works like what we now know, the Global Positioning System or GPS. Filipinos have a strong intuition too! So they could also travel the seas with the use of instinct. 

The Badjao, one of the indigenous ethnic groups from the island of Sulu; known to have dark skin. They are naturally having a primitive and practical way of living. Seas are their source of livelihood, where they go fishing and have it for trades. And that’s made them as one of the best sea farers across the archipelago as they preserved the ancient methods of navigation. 

As surrounded by water, half of the life of the Filipinos might actually depend on marine resources and travelling on waves will be their signature practice. And with the Balangay, the future of the Philippines will rise above the horizon humbly, having the sobriquet: Pearl of the Orient Sea.

Ancient GPS Series: Technology from the Rising Sun

Japan is the most technologically advanced country in terms of gadgets in the age of modern era, and robots were one of the greatest inventions from the known Land of The Rising Sun. 

Behind the rich, mystical and artistic culture of the land is a mysterious phenomenon lying in their history dating 1800s. It is the story of the Utsuro Bune, and the young beautiful lady with pale face and red hair, guarding a mysterious wooden box; holding so close to her. 

Speaking a not familiar language and only has either a smiling face or a blank one. Coming out from a strange ship believe to rise from the Dragon’s Triangle, known to be a danger zone at southern coast of Japan. In this place, a huge number of boats believe to sink and remained out of sight. 

Compass malfunctions and GPS gone wrong, and there you will disappear without even a trace. This is how the Dragon’s Triangle works on its disaster where planes and ships are likely to fail its engine, because of unexplained reason and will be eaten soon by darkness. 

But could you believe that beneath the angry waters are structures. A man-made structure believed to build about 14,000 years ago. But how and why? This Yonaguni monument and the actual Dragon’s triangle are coincidentally parallel to the Bermuda Triangle of the West, lying in 25° north of the Equator. And both display a terrifying geomagnetic pull and GPS couldn’t tell where you are. 

Looking at the brighter side, Japan possesses the knowledge of highly advanced and core quality technology. From electronic appliances, means of transportation and even to ordinary stuffs yet, the one and only producer of great and world-class animation; the Anime. 

Reviewing most of the Anime and Manga (graphic novels), it is always associated with Science Fiction, Advanced Science, Alchemy, Astronomy, Mechanical and more. Evidence that Japan is really anchored with a high level of technology. But how? 

Are they just really curious people and good at experimenting? Or they inherited the ancient knowledge and is it possible that the advanced technology that Japan has, is what’s inside the wooden box that the alien woman carries?

Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved. 

Where is the Horizon?

For the dawn of the early century, crossing the oceans and the seas is the most used means of transportation for trades, exploration and with the schema to conquer one’s land. How to dance with the waves? How to bend the wind? And where to go? The early sailors knew. 

Before the invention of compass and other navigation equipments, ancient seafarers got to entrust their voyage to the stars. But not all knew the anatomy of astronomy, so physics is an option.

To know their exact location, sea travelers would then use sextant; a device that could actually measure the angle between two objects, the horizon and the sun. 

Works with the presence of the Sun and mirrors, where light coming from the Sun will then reflect to a mirror and to another mirror leveled to eye’s view as well as to the horizon. With moveable arm to adjust for measurement, and there you know now where to go. It been called sextant for having 60° capacity. 

Images Credit: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/shackleton/navigate/escapeworks.html

 
Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved.

Aftershocks

Distance over distance, I travel through time

Way back to my childhood and all were fine

Every decision I think of may not affect me

But to realize I am just free

I will then need to grow up

Where playing games would stop

Hanging in the air, taking up responsibility

Point of no return, it’s my destiny

Why I’m holding this gun?

Knowing it won’t give me any fun

Why am I running?

Why should I take something without giving away anything?

Small diamonds to large and luxurious car

Run too near and run too far

GPS device alarms, drives along the dim road

Escaping this capture scene through fog

But why this happens?

I am a child just eating an ice cream

This got to be the life I have now

The rebellion I’ve done, so much for a narrow mind

Remora GPS Tracker. Copyright (c) 2013. All rights reserved.