Odds and Ends 

Going Stir Crazy In Self-Isolation? Travel The World From Your Couch With These Virtual Field Trips

Millions of people around the planet are currently practicing social distancing and self-isolation measures meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, a disease that has impacted nearly every country.

In the digital age, isolation presents an opportunity for exploration around the globe – all at the tap of your fingers. So, plop down on the couch and take a tour through some of the planet’s greatest manmade and natural wonders.

Get Outside To See The Diversity Of Earth

Did you have to cancel Spring Break plans due to the pandemic? Google Earth has put together its “Discover Hawaii” feature of the state’s tropical islands, from the black lava rock cliffs to its lush rainforests and volcanoes.

Ready to explore the Rocky Mountains? Yellowstone National Park offers virtual tours of some of its most visited and hard-to-reach features, including Fountain Paint Pot, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Mud Volcano, and Norris Geyser Basin. If the dramatic peaks of California are more to your liking, head to Virtual Yosemite for a look at the state’s most-visited national park.

Grand Prismatic Pool in Yellowstone National Park. Lane V. Erickson

Take The Kids To The Zoo

A number of zoos and aquariums may have shut their doors to the public, but live cams at the San Diego Zoo, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Georgia Aquarium are up-and-running. Watch a troop of Hamadryas baboons as they groom one another and relax in the southern California sun or check out a flock of African penguins diving underwater in their 200,000-gallon pool. Travel to the cooler waters of the Pacific Ocean and watch jellyfish drift and pulse, sharks cruising through rocky reefs, belugas playfully drifting, and sea otters snuggling in kelp beds.

Explore Museum Collections Spanning Thousands Of Years

If exploring some of the world’s classics has been on your bucket list, then there is no time like the present to pop over to Google Arts & Culture for a complete roundup on digital museums around the planet. Here, you can ogle over Pablo Picasso’s Starry Night at the Museum of Modern Art or take a look at American fashion through the centuries at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, online exhibit. This comprehensive roundup features gallery exhibits from across Europe, Asia, the US, and Australia.

The Louvre in Paris also offers three virtual tours spanning some of its most popular exhibits, including a walk-through collection from the Pharaonic period displayed on the east side of the Sully Week and a glance at the remains of the museum’s moat dating back to the 12th century.  

The Great Wall of China. zhu difeng

Explore One Of The Seven Wonders Of The World

China’s borders may be closed to visitors, but 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) of its most famous attraction, the Great Wall of China, is ready for you to virtually explore.

Jet Off Of Earth To Probe The Surface Of Mars

And if you’ve just had enough of this planet for a while, Access Mars allows for a 360-degree view of the surface of Mars, recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Not only does the interactive experience provide historical context and understanding about the science behind Mars operations, but you can coast through some of the Red Planet’s most famous sights, including Marias Pass, Murray Buttes, and the original rover landing site.  

[H/T: Mrs. Fahrney]

Read more: https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/going-stir-crazy-in-self-isolation-travel-the-world-from-your-couch-with-these-virtual-field-trips/

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