It’s not the “world’s first EARTH game” (there’s this one and this one already), but Earth Contest looks like a worthy addition.

I haven’t had time to play, as I am in NYC for a week attending a wedding, so expect only sporadic updates to Ogle Earth in the meantime. (Via Google Blogoscoped)

I’m not sure what to make of Google Earth Zoo. On the surface it looks aimed at schoolchildren, providing them an original pretext to learn how to use Google Earth’s interface. But if you click on “Toilets” you get a gallery of images that are certainly NSFS (not safe for school). Are these slipping by naive site admins? Do the site admins themselves think these are funny? (Hint: goatse is not a random name).

Antweb gets help from Google to bring ants to Google Earth. Web Pro News article, Google Earth blog post. Out of gratitude, an ant is named after Google. Check out the freshly minted Wikipedia article on Proceratium Google. (Re the KML: Very cool, but are placemarks the best way to locate ant habitats? How about translucent overlapping areas instead?)

James Fee notes how Portland’s Google Earth support just keeps on getting better.

Via All Points Blog, a link to Global Connection, the people responsible for putting National Geographic in Google Earth (check), Putting Hurricane Katrina in Google Earth (check), and “building and exploring gigapixel panoramic images” (wow).

ThinkLemon’s been working on this for a while, and now his KML lists of impact structures have become quite the resource. Another must-have, for schools as well.

Um, wow. Could Dr Andrew Hudson-Smith and Google Earth please talk?

Via Declan at Connotea, current volcanic activity around the globe as a live network link, courtesy of Volcano World.

So far, 3D buildings in Google Earth are available by default in select US cities only. But if the bloggers behind Digitally Distributed Environments get their way, You’ll soon be able to have large bits of London in 3D as well, made with SketchUp. Watch this space, and while you’re at it, have a look at their very cool panoramas.