The Case of Geographical Research Induced knowledge

The widespread availability of virtual models of the Earth made available online (e.g. Google Earth, Bing Maps) opens a wide-range of possibilities in terms of making geographical information available to the general public. In Geographyrelated research groups, a large amount of information is created which, most of the times, does not become public; this hampers potential uses and applications. In fact, the nonexistence of efficient modes of information diffusion creates entropy or even definite obstacles in the production chain which starts with a new idea and should result in an end-product (in the case of applied research). This article demonstrates the production of an instrument for the diffusion of geographical information over the World Wide Web. The authors, using only freeware, implement a tool which permits any end-user free access to what may be described as new geographies, made of layers which are superimposed on terrain information. Potentially, this type of information have a great impact as it can help shape the cognitive processes behind the way individual interpret and capture spatial information.