First it got Dugg, and then it got Slashdotted – but the fact remains that the enormous KFC logo recently constructed in Nevada is not the first logo (or brand) visible from space. In fact, it’s debatable whether or not it’s even really visible from space at all (See the introduction to our book for a more complete examination of this argument). Either way, KFC’s big logo isn’t actually that big.¹

Now this Readymix logo in the Australian desert is big. Really big.² It’s 3.2km across, and 1.6km high – and come to think of it, it’s been there since 1965, so probably qualifies as the first logo visible from space, and it’s possible that this was the first logo constructed specifically for that purpose too.

Digg that Diggers

1) It is however an excellent example of big business beginning to try to cash in on the online satellite imagery phenomenon. However I seriously doubt that the image will ever appear on Google Earth or Maps, as to the best of my knowledge, Google don’t currently buy any imagery from GeoEye, the only company who have definitely captured a photo of the giant KFC logo.

2) However, even the Readymix writing is nowhere near the world’s largest text.

Thanks to the (ever awesome) Keyhole users.

Take your pick from either a pool of dolphins or a dolphin-shaped pool.

The image of dolphins in a pool was captured from Google Earth, where you can also clearly make out a crowd gathered round a dolphin at the side of the pool, possibly being fed by a keeper.

If you prefer your dolphin in the wild, then perhaps Australia would be a better bet?

Thanks to Chris Thompson, Noel Ballantyne and woowoowoo.

This feels a little like ambulance chasing, so in no particular order, here are 9 (possible) traffic accidents.

1. Highway A13 just north of Rotterdam (there’s a couple of vehicles on the hard shoulder, and traffic is backed up for a long way):

2. Belfast Spillage (first pointed out in a different thread, there seems to be some sort of spillage and water vehicles cleaning it up):

3. Traffic backed up in Moscow (definitely something holding up traffic, but it’s unclear that this is an accident):

4. Blue vs. red car in the UK (my vote is for parked cars in this case actually):

5. Central reservation crossed in Australia (there seems to be a lorry in between the carriages and a couple of emergency vehicles to one side):

6. Road rage in Las Vegas (impossible to say how these cars came to rest like this, but there’s definitely people having words in the street!):

7. Dallas Motorway accident (there’s a car on the hard shoulder, traffic creeping past, a truck on the hard shoulder facing the wrong direction, and a couple of unidentified black marks on the road):

8. Burning car, Germany (Car is still on fire and is surrounded by firemen, there’s water staining the motorway, a fire engine and hundreds of backed up vehicles to the north):

9. Jackknifed lorry, Dallas (Dallas again? Lorry appears to have jackknifed across the highway, but it seems traffic is getting past):

We sincerely hope that nobody was seriously injured in any of these incidents.

Thanks to Dirk Thiel, WRA, Wilfred van Breda, gIMpSTa, Matthew Flynn, Ant, Stephan Segraves and Dan.

Remember a while ago when we featured the Mega Ramp – a giant skate-ramp built by professional nutter skateboarder Danny Way?

Well, here’s another location of one of his crazy stunts – The Hard Rock cafe in Las Vegas. The giant Fender Stratocaster sticking out of the building was used as the launch point for the world’s largest bomb drop where Danny jumped off the guitar, was in free fall for 28m, and then landed on the 56m tall ramp. Here’s a video of the event.

Fantastic shadow being cast from the sign on top of the Main Street Station Hotel and Casino and Brewery in Las Vegas. There’s actually two signs, which means we can see it backwards too. Nice.

Useless fact about this hotel? The men’s toilet off the main casino floor contains a large piece of the Berlin Wall to which the urinals are affixed. Apparently the Travel Channel voted it Las Vegas’ number 2 historic bathroom.

Only number 2? I wonder what on earth number 1 was…

Thanks Gwaer and Babaganoosh.