Google Maps is one of those apps that many of us rely on daily (myself included). Whether it’s finding the fastest route, checking traffic, or scoping out the best-rated spots in town, it’s an essential tool.
But besides its usual functions, Google Maps has plenty of surprises if you know where to look. These people did just that—scanning satellite images and street views—and ended up stumbling upon things they never expected. From curious to downright bizarre, here are some of the strangest discoveries they made.
Scroll down to check them out, upvote your favorites, and maybe try your hand at it yourself. You never know what you might find!
Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.
Gigante De Tarapaca. Norte De Chile
But keeping a map this massive up to date is no small task. Google is constantly refining its data, making 100 million updates to the map every single day. That’s over 4 million updates per hour! And no wonder so many people rely on it to find their favorite spots. With 250 million businesses and places mapped out, getting where you need to go is extremely convenient.
Credits: Patrick Ortiz Downing, Google Maps
A Lot Of People In Athens Were Caught With Undisclosed Pools
In the Greek city, those with pools are supposed to pay a special tax for them. There were 324 pool declared in Athens' suburbs — but after looking at Google Maps, authorities found out there were actually 16,974 pools in the area.
Of course, Google Maps isn’t just about navigation. One of its coolest features is the ability to explore the world through satellite images and Street View. I use Street View all the time—to get a sense of a new place, check for parking (pro tip!), or just wander through different cities from my couch. It’s an amazing way to glimpse everyday life in countries all over the world.
Credits: spiege
40 Year Old Man Went Missing After Night Out. 22 Years Later, A Local Man Spotted A Car In The Lake In Google Maps. When It Was Searched, The Missing Man’s Skeletal Remains Were Found
But have you ever wondered how Street View actually works? How does Google capture all those visuals, constantly update them, and upload them into a single app? And why go through all the trouble?
As Harold Stark explains in a 2017 Forbes article, back in 1998, when Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page started the company, they had a vision to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Google Maps is a huge part of that mission. By collecting an enormous amount of geospatial data and making it available in a mobile app, Google is essentially creating an interactive digital world.
Credits: Crookstaa
Is Your Bike In Here? Neighbour From H**l Is Arrested After 500 'Stolen' Bikes Are Discovered In His Back Garden In Pile So Big That It Is Visible From Google Earth
To bring that world to life, Street View launched in 2007, letting users see real images of locations rather than just a flat map. But Google doesn’t do it all alone. For the base maps, they pull data from organizations like the U.S. Geological Survey, the Forest Service, and city councils, stitching together everything from massive highways to tiny backroads.
Credits: dailymail
Teen Finds Bike Nabbers On Holland Street View
After a teen in Groningen, Holland had his bike taken, he couldn't get the police to do anything about it. But six months later he found photo evidence using Google Street View. Cameras captured an image of the alleged culprits trailing behind the victim prior to taking the bike.
The 14-year-old used the image to help authorities apprehend two suspects.
Then, of course, there’s the Street View imagery, the part we love most. To capture those shots, Google sends out cars fitted with special 360-degree cameras, driving through streets, neighborhoods, and even quiet residential areas. You’ve probably seen one of these Street View cars yourself! Some lucky people even spot them in time to strike a pose—or, in the case of a group of kids in Syracuse, chase it down the street, securing their place in Google Maps history.
Credits: theregister, Google Maps
Shipwreck North Sentinel Island
The story of the shipwreck on North Sentinel Island revolves around the MV Primrose, a cargo ship that ran aground near the island in 1981. The crew initially believed it was a routine stranding, but they soon realized the danger when the indigenous Sentinelese, a fiercely isolated tribe, began appearing on the beach armed with bows and arrows. The crew was stranded on the ship for several days, defending themselves with makeshift weapons and calling for help. Eventually, they were rescued by helicopter, narrowly avoiding contact with the Sentinelese, who remain one of the most isolated groups in the world.
But cars aren’t always enough. To capture hard-to-reach places, Google also uses boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and even backpacks equipped with cameras for areas where vehicles can’t go, like the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu.
Credits: Own_Salamander_3802, Google Maps
Group Of Buildings In China Spelling Out The Word “Antibody”
And since Google is capturing everything, everywhere, you can bet some weird, funny, or downright eerie things are hidden across the app.
If you’re ever bored or feeling a little adventurous, maybe take some time to hunt for them. Who knows what you’ll find?
Credits: PetrifiedHistory, Google Maps
Downed Japanese Fighter Plane On Palau And The Photos I Took At The Location: 7°32'40.9"N 134°31'50.7"E
Heard of this from a guy who served on Palau. He only knew it was near a shooting range the US military uses. With the help of google earth I found the possible location and went there during my visit to Palau a few years back.
Credits: alex_1982, Google Maps
Lying Spouse Caught Red-Handed In UK
If you're going to get caught lying to your spouse, you should try to make it count. Not like Donald Ryding, who was caught smoking in his driveway by Google Street View long after he told his wife that he'd kicked the habit. The car captured an image of Ryding trying to be furtive outside of his Merseyside home in England.
Mrs. Ryding said, "I couldn't believe it - there was no denying it now we'd seen him smoking. When Street View first launched, they didn't blur out faces, but there was no need to with him - he was covered by a cloud of smoke anyway." Burn.
Credits: thejournal, Google Maps
Disturbing Message Spotted On Google Earth Near Cesar Chavez Ave In La: ‘Help,’ ‘Trafico,’ ‘Lapd,’ And ‘Federal’ Written In Debris
Credits: rj_motivation
I Found The Eiffel Tower And Fake Cities And Fake Highways In A Military Base In The Chinese Desert With Tanks Artillery And Planes ( 42°14'11.32"N 112°44'24.22"E)
Credits: EMACRAFTO9, Google Maps
Random R In The Mountains In Cali
it appears to be the "Redlands R". Put there by university student in 1913.
Credits: Savanna_Krewz, redlands
After A Successful Escape From A Prison Sentence, Runaway Gioacchino Gammino Lived Unnoticed For 20 Years. Until He Chatted In The Wrong Spot, That Is
The convicted murderer, considered one of Italy's most wanted criminals, had been working as a chef under a different name in the town of Galapagar (near Madrid in Spain). Google Maps imagery showed a man who looked suspiciously like Gammino chatting outside a fruit and veg shop, and it was confirmed to be him by police later.
Credits: theguardian
Disappearance Of 83-Year-Old Woman After Two Years Solved Thanks To Google Street View
Paulette Landrieux disappeared on November 2, 2020 without leaving a trail. At the time, the police spread a search message for the 'potentially confused woman', but even after a large -scale search she was not found.
The public prosecutor recently wanted to close the file unsolved after two years. But a person who made a final attempt caused a breakthrough: the man searched for the images of her house on Google Street View. There, as a miracle, you could see how the woman crossed the street to her neighbor's house.
The police then searched the garden of that man and found the corpse of Landrieux on the bottom of a hill, in the direction of the Meuse (Maas) river. The woman probably fell, but an autopsy must give a definitive answer.
Personally, as a researcher, I would study Google Maps the first day in such a case, but maybe it was not yet on Street View at the time.
Credits: andorraliechtenstein, Google Maps
Found A Sunken Jeep Near Key West, Fl Via Google Maps. So A Friend Of Mine Went To Check It Out In Person
Credits: KevinByMail, Google Maps
Unmarked Village In The Middle Of The Amazon Rainforest
Credits: reddit.com, Google Maps
A Florida Man Illegally Dumped His Boat Near His Home, Eventually Facing A $5,000 Fine
The fee for legal dumping would have been just $18. Police spotted the illicit dumping via Google Maps.
Credits: nbcnews
I Noticed On These On Google Earth. Today On "Failed Camouflage" We Learn That Hiding Under Trees Isn't Always The Best Strategy
Credits: brownsofagamer123, Google Maps
Thanks, Google Maps
Credits: tomyan112
A Possible Offender On The Run In South Africa
This image was captured in South Africa in 2010. While the man depicted in the image capture looks like an escapee from the United States, many pointed out he could be a municipal worker. In South Africa, some municipal workers wear orange as part of their uniform.
It's unclear where the man is running from or what he's running towards.
Credits: express, Google Maps
What Are These Artifical Looking Small Hills Near Area 51
Atomic testing site..Nevada test range
Credits: truthseeker_92
B-2 Stealth Bomber
This B-2 at Whitman AFB seems to be shown disabled after sliding off the runway. You can see the plane leaning on its left wing and emergency personnel around.
Credits: GreenReport5491, Google Maps
I Found This Looking Around Pyongyang
Credits: takofire, Google Maps
This Is The Largest Coca-Cola Logo In The World I Found It On Google Earth -18.5292 -70.2500
Credits: our-free-books, Google Maps
Plane Without Wings Found On Google Maps
I pulled up Google Maps just to see the taxiway configuration and the plane isn't there. It sure looks like the same general image as in OP's post, it even has the black rectangle next to where the plane is/was. It's entirely possible Google edited the image because someone reported it due to this post, but all I can say is the wingless plane isn't there now!
Credits: RXBarokk, Google Maps
You might also like: Man’s clever trick after realizing his job interviewer was AI sparks fears for humanity’s future
Follow Bored Panda's daily dive into internet culture on MSN for more curious finds, quirky content, and offbeat observations.