We’ve all sat on a plane at one stage or another, staring out into the great nothingness and contemplating the meaning of life.

There’s no app for that unfortunately (although Douglas Adams believes it’s 42), but now there is an app if you tend to wonder what part of the world you’re gazing at down below.

It’s called Flyover Country, the Telegraph giving us an overview below:

[It] will also find relevant Wikipedia articles for users so that they can better understand what exactly is beneath them at any given moment…

The app uses maps and data from a variety of geological and paleontological databases to provide information on points of interest below. On their phone, the user will see features tagged on a map that correspond to different locations on the ground.

I know what you’re thinking – data tends to cost a fair bit when you’re flying in a metal object thousands of feet in the air. Cool your jets, because the app works using cached maps offline after you’ve put in your flight path whilst on the ground.

Here’s co-developer Amy Myrbo:

…the aeroplane seat is sort of a planetarium for the Earth. It’s a great way to inspire people to learn about the sciences.

“We have maybe a dozen more data sources that we’re going to be working with in the coming months.”

She hopes the app will give people a sense of the “the connectedness of geology and weather and humans and see the scales of things”.

Sounds like a great app – can we now get someone working on one that shuts up babies and children?

[source:telegraph]

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