Find Snowman, Loch Ness monster with satellite image

After weeks of searching for the lost adventurer Steve Fossett in the Nevada desert but unsuccessful, people are relying on web users around the world to rescue him, while they are still sitting at home.

Through the Mechanical Turk program, high-resolution satellite images of the search area were collected and analyzed. Participants were shown a single satellite photo and were asked to re-mark any object or piece that could be an airplane or its body.

The 1977 photo of Ivan Marx shows the legendary Snowman walking along the hill in northern California.(Photo: AP)

The study deciphered a few mysteries: it was found that some small aircraft fragments had never been known - some fragments were produced in the 1950s. Although Fossett and his planes were still missing, but satellite technology used to search him theoretically could be applied to other types of searches, such as the mysterious big footprints that are considered Snowman's or Loch Ness monster.

Although the use of satellite images for dense forests is difficult, large footprints are reported in quite open areas, such as Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Texas and Arizona (USA).

A single 3.5 meter long footprint can be hard to find, but many of these footprints next to each other will be easier to spot.

This kind of research can also be used to search underwater objects. Many lake and sea snake monsters are recorded to be 15 meters or more long, and they often float to the surface. If home " investigators " are mobilized, they can help track large lakes - where they are suspected of being inhabited, just by mouse drags.

T. An