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Geohashing is an outdoor recreational activity inspired by the webcomic '' xkcd'', in which participants have to reach a random location (chosen by a computer algorithm), prove their achievement by taking a picture of a
426th ''xkcd'' comic
was published. Titled "Geohashing", it described a way for a
Geohashing divides the earth into a grid made up of graticules which are one degree wide in latitude and longitude. Inside these graticules, a random location is set. Geohashers then have the opportunity to go at the chosen location, either inside their own graticule or in a nearby one. If the location is inaccessible or in a private area, geohashers are advised not to try to reach it, although obviously inaccessible locations have been reached several times. In addition to the repeating location in each graticule, each day there is a single global hashpoint, much more challenging to reach.
Geohashing official wiki
{{adventure travel category:Global Positioning System category:hobbies category:outdoor locating games
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite ...
(GPS) receiver or another mobile device and then tell the story of their trip online. Proof based on non-electronic navigation is also acceptable.
The geohashing community and culture is extremely tongue-in-cheek, supporting any kind of humorous behavior during the practice of geohashing and resulting in a parody of traditional outdoor activities. Navigating to a random point need not be pointless. Some geohashers document new mapping features they find on the OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a free, open geographic database updated and maintained by a community of volunteers via open collaboration. Contributors collect data from surveys, trace from aerial imagery and also import from other freely licensed g ...
project, clean up litter, or create art to commemorate the trip, among other activities.
A variation on geocaching, known as geodashing, features a closely comparable principle, with participants racing between coordinate points.
Invention and spread
On May 21, 2008, th426th ''xkcd'' comic
was published. Titled "Geohashing", it described a way for a
computer
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations ( computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These prog ...
to create an algorithm that could generate random Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite ...
(GPS) coordinates each day based on the Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Dow Jones, or simply the Dow (), is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity inde ...
and the current date. The algorithm was quickly seized by the ''xkcd'' community, which used it as intended by ''xkcd'' creator Randall Munroe.
Originally a stub where people willing to try the algorithm in real life were to issue their reports, the geohashing official wiki expanded in the following weeks and was a working website as early as June 2008. The current expedition protocol was then established during the following years, with the creation of humorous awards, regional meetups and a hall of amazingness for the various geohasher achievements.
Over time, geohashing gained fame across the internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, p ...
and now counts more than 10,000 expedition reports, almost 15,000. Around 800 users are registered on the geohashing wiki, not all of which are currently active. Geohashing has spread mostly in North America, Europe and Australia, especially around cities.
Geohash
Geohashing divides the earth into a grid made up of graticules which are one degree wide in latitude and longitude. Inside these graticules, a random location is set. Geohashers then have the opportunity to go at the chosen location, either inside their own graticule or in a nearby one. If the location is inaccessible or in a private area, geohashers are advised not to try to reach it, although obviously inaccessible locations have been reached several times. In addition to the repeating location in each graticule, each day there is a single global hashpoint, much more challenging to reach.
See also
* Location-based game *Benchmarking (geolocating)
Benchmarking, also known as benchmark hunting, is a hobby activity in which participants find benchmarks (also known as survey markers or geodetic control points). The term "bench mark" is used only to refer to survey markers that designate a ce ...
* Degree Confluence Project
The Degree Confluence Project is a World Wide Web-based, all-volunteer project which aims to have people visit each of the integer degree intersections of latitude and longitude on Earth, posting photographs and a narrative of each visit online. ...
(uses same grid)
* Orienteering
Orienteering is a group of sports that require navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a ...
* Letterboxing
References
External links
Geohashing official wiki
{{adventure travel category:Global Positioning System category:hobbies category:outdoor locating games