These 10 Google Earth Discoveries Left Us Speechless

If you’ve ever zoomed in a little too far on Google Earth and stumbled across something bizarre, you’re not alone. Satellite imagery lets us see the planet with a perspective that was once impossible, and that includes the strange, the mysterious, and the unexpectedly striking.

These discoveries show just how weird and wonderful our planet really is. Curious? We’ve rounded up some features you’d never notice at ground level.

Mysterious Desert Pattern

The "Desert Breath" is a land art installation in Egypt's eastern Sahara Desert near Hurghada. It was created in 1997 by the D.A.ST. Arteam and consists of two interlocking spirals made from sand mounds and depressions, covering approximately 100,000 square meters. The scale is only visible in full from overhead, where the full shape unfolds.

Swastika-Like Building Complex

At the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, California, one aerial photo turned an ordinary building into a controversy. At ground level, nothing looks unusual, but the satellite perspective reveals a controversially-shaped building complex. It’s a legacy design from the 1960s, overlooked for decades. The U.S. Navy allocated funds to alter the building’s appearance to avoid the offensive symbolism.

Buffalo Herd

While scanning the plains, you’ll suddenly notice clusters of dark shapes dotting the terrain. They’re buffalo, captured mid-stride in the Kigosi Game Reserve, Tanzania, at coordinates 4°17'21.49" S, 31°23'46.46" E. The shadows stretching out beside them make the scene even more vivid. Most animals go unnoticed in such views, but this herd breaks through the static.

Giant Triangle

Cut into the in the Arizona desert near Wittmann is a sharp-edged triangle that looks more like a symbol than a tool. These are believed to be remnants of aerial navigation aids or pilot training markers, though their exact purpose remains uncertain.

Shipwrecked SS Ayrfield with Trees

You don’t expect to see a forest growing out of an old cargo ship, but that’s exactly what’s happened here. The SS Ayrfield is a decommissioned shipwreck located in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. Over time, mangrove trees have grown within their hull to create a floating forest visible via satellite imagery.

The Badlands Guardian

From above, it looks like a person’s face etched into the Earth—nose, mouth, even a feathered headdress. But it’s just hills and erosion forming a natural optical illusion near Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada. The resemblance is uncanny, though. Users have dubbed it “The Badlands Guardian,” and after noticing the face, the illusion becomes permanently etched in your memory.

Parking Lot for Fighter Jets

Google Earth users can spot what looks like a fleet of jets parked with surgical precision just outside Los Angeles. This site, located near Los Angeles International Airport in El Segundo, California, is adjacent to aerospace manufacturing facilities. These fighter jets are either in storage, awaiting transport, or placed for testing or display.

Firefox Logo in a Field

In 2006, members of the Oregon State University Linux Users Group celebrated Firefox’s 50 millionth download by planting a massive crop circle in the shape of the browser’s logo. Situated near Amity, Oregon, this design spans over 45,000 square feet and was carefully plotted using GPS coordinates.

Guitar-Shaped Forest

Near General Levalle in Argentina’s Pampas region lies a forest sculpted exactly like a guitar. Created by farmer Pedro Martín Ureta, this living tribute consists of over 7,000 cypress and eucalyptus trees. The result is a carefully planned layout only evident from the air, with each part of the guitar—neck, body, and sound hole—clearly outlined in green.

Airplane Boneyard

Known as the AMARG or “The Boneyard,” this is the largest aircraft storage and preservation facility in the world. Thousands of retired planes are lined up across the desert floor at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. They are either salvaged for parts, stored for potential reuse, or scrapped.

Mysterious Lines in China’s Desert

Satellite imagery close to Dunhuang in western China reveals enormous white patterns drawn into the desert floor. The formations include grids, intersecting lines, and maze-like structures. Their purpose isn’t officially confirmed, but most experts believe they’re calibration targets for spy satellites or testing ranges for military optics.

Giant Target in the Desert

A massive white bullseye appears in Nevada, etched into the desert with no nearby infrastructure to explain it. The design features concentric rings, similar to those used in aerial bombing or satellite calibration. While no official explanation has been confirmed, the location sits near old Cold War testing ranges and restricted airspace, fueling speculation about its military origins.

Heart-Mould Lake

Though it appears naturally formed, the lake was actually structured intentionally decades ago using excavation equipment. The landowners created it as a visual centerpiece for their property, long before satellite imagery made it famous. Now noticeable on Google Earth, the lake has become a quiet internet landmark because of its near-perfect symmetry.

Jesus Loves You in the Trees

Outside Boise, Idaho, satellite imagery reveals giant letters carved into a forest clearing spelling out “Jesus Loves You.” There’s no sign or monument—just a message large enough to be seen from above. The origins are unclear, and it appears to serve no commercial or religious promotional purpose.

World’s Largest Swimming Pool

The world’s largest swimming pool sits at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo, Chile. Stretching over 3,300 feet and covering nearly 20 acres, it holds around 66 million gallons of seawater. The pool is so large that small boats can navigate it, and it remains a record-setting feat of engineering and resort luxury.