[quote]One of the most common questions being asked about missing flight MH370 is simply: "How could this possibly happen?"
Hundreds of satellites are in the Earth's orbit, people realise, with many taking imagery, some in staggeringly high quality. Can't we just look at that and find the missing plane?
The simple answer is: "Yes," but it requires a huge effort. And people all around the world are chipping in to help.
As well as the professionals analysing the data, there are now millions of armchair aeroplane hunters hoping to spot something that can provide some clue to the plane's fate.
Sometimes it's not expert knowledge that makes a difference, but sheer leg work.
Using the "crowd" - the term given to a large number of mobilised volunteers online - is an effective way to sift through vast amounts of data quickly, creating human resources beyond the reach of any single organisation.
After launch, the Digital Globe site buckled under the pressure of receiving so many visits. The most up-to-date stats provided by the company say that the maps have been viewed 385 million times.[/quote]
Once again Humanity steps up to the plate for the greater good.