Is this spot on Google Earth a clandestine Burmese nuke facility?
The oppressive regime that controls Burma/Myanmar is in the news this week after yesterday's sentencing of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kui over bogus "internal security" crimes. This related item: amateur online spooks using Google Earth have noticed an unexplained formation in the Burmese jungle which some believe may be linked to the state's clandestine nuclear program. Upshot: it's probably not, but that leaves wide room for other possibilities. Please post your most colorful conspiracy theories in the comments.
Mysterious Burmese facility revealed on Google Earth (Sydney Morning Herald / Australia)The main facility, which measures 82 by 84 metres, can been seen on satellite images published on both Google Earth and Google Maps Earth is showing a mysterious building in Burma's jungle that some commentators think may be linked to activity by Burma's regime to develop their own nuclear weapons like North Korea.
It features a pitched, blue corrugated roof, which, at first glance, makes it look like an over-sized swimming pool. The large industrial complex is located in a rural area of central Burma, east of Mandalay near the town of Pin Oo Lwin.
That's the same zone in which defectors recently told two Australian researchers that the Burmese army had been building a nuclear research and engineering centre with support from North Korea and Russia.
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Probably not, according to the article you linked?
It's J. Peterman's secret cult compound.
Top secret Burmese Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team traning facility.
Sounds familiar to proof used to drum up support for an American invasion of Iraq.
It's the true location of International Rescue. The pool slides aside and out bursts Thunderbird 3.
LOL! @#2 Cory
Good to know I wasn't the only one thinking about Seinfeld when reading this article.
A learning curve is supposed to go up.
No, it's not. See Arms Control Wonk for more.
It's their ultra-secret olympic sized swimming pool
Secret government bioweapons directorate, working on building the ultimate kickboxing champion?
check out ArmsControlWonk's coverage of the "Box Of Burma" (BOB).
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/2418/bibbs-on-the-bob
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/2412/oconnor-on-the-bob
The western consensus, seems to be that this is an industrial facility. Though, at first glance, it does bear a striking resemblance Syria's box.
Testing and training facility for their secret weaponized mackerel project.
It's where they bring the opium to break it into morphine, codeine, thebaine, etc. and then acetylize the morphine into heroin.
It's a......WALMART!
First, it's Myanmar. Second, if it was "clandestine" and or "nuclear" it wouldn't be so obvious: there are major roads leading to and from it, no effort has been made to conceal it... There also doesn't appear to be a gate or fence or any other obstructions, at the site or along the roadway leading to the site, suggesting that it's not a military or secretive industrial project. There's also a bunch of other major infrastructure in the area, like a dams, airport, and such... so, a project of this size isn't unusual either.
Anon@~4: So... You think they're going to make a Mission of Burma?
Ah, at least the author removed my out of context comment from the first pass analysis on Armscontrolwonk, where I had misinterpreted the topology and thought there were signs of an underground facility under the blue box.
Additional information including better site topology and other information confirm that it's on an excavated site, flat pad, etc.
It's a large building, with some unusual security, and a berm hiding it from the road. Could have any number of logistics or industrial purposes.
Chances are they aren't making shaving cream...
It's a McGuffin.
As we all know, nothing is more covert than a football-field-sized roof painted bright blue.
1. It's "Myanmar" if you generally agree with the regime, and it's "Burma" if you generally disagree with the regime.
2. It's not a prison, since those tend to be semi-circles.
3. It's probably a military facility, possibly an officers' school. It's unlikely to be a garage or hangar.
@21: Cosideredopinion
I disagree with your assesment that it's "possibly an officers' school. It's unlikely to be a garage or hangar." Buildings of that size with that kind of roof are likely to be clear span in order to provid a space that is not hindered by columns. Otherwise, it's a waste of materials.
I wouldn't say it's a hangar simply bc there'e no roads/runways approaching it that would accomodate a large craft (unless they're building that later) but somethin' BIG (literally) is going on in that building.
btw, does it strike anyone else as odd that google maps doesn't have higher res for the area immediately beside it?
#15, do you call Germany "Deutschland", or Japan "Nihon"?
Proper nouns are just words. English has had a perfectly good proper noun, "Burma", for that country for centuries. Why change it just because a military dictatorship wants?
Blue Roof? It's gotta be an IHOP.
...actual closeup
http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0006/8132/products/blue_roof_1.jpg
It's a hellipad for jungle boats.
Google Maps has low res coverage areas all over; much more common than the high-res, all things considered.
Do I wish I had 10cm multi-sun-angle, time series imagery of the whole surface of the earth, so I can look at things like this forwards and backwards and sideways? Sure. Not there yet. We have 60 to 120 cm images, with a few history examples, for much of the interesting surface. But not everywhere (not even all the US land area).
@ #25
I haven't laughed so hard at something in a long time!
OMG! the Burmese have buildings! with roofs!! To the shelters everyone!
The only reason Burma needs nukes is that the Generals want some attention: and they've noticed the US obsession with N. Korea and Iran,and indeed, Iraq, too:
http://www.straight.com/article-245468/gwynne-dyer-north-korea-burma-and-nuclear-weapons
Nevertheless, IMHO nukes are one of the best (in a 'back-handed" way) things we as a species have ever developed: insofar as it stopped the once-a-generation wars that used to be expected from and amongst the "great powers"...
That's where they filmed all of those giant books opening at the beginning of Disney movies. That's clearly a giant blue copy of Sleeping Beauty... just hasn't been propped up yet.
George William Herbert, you mean to tell me there isn't yet a Google OffTheBeatenPathView™?
The sign at the entrance reads "Milk for Babies Faktory".