Picking Up Shells

START The Hawaiian island of Kahoolawe sits just 6 miles southwest of Maui, but until recently few developers dared dream of putting time-share condos on its beaches. For decades, the US Navy used Kahoolawe for aerial target practice; now that a $320 million cleanup of old ordnance is nearly finished, it may be only a […]

START

The Hawaiian island of Kahoolawe sits just 6 miles southwest of Maui, but until recently few developers dared dream of putting time-share condos on its beaches. For decades, the US Navy used Kahoolawe for aerial target practice; now that a $320 million cleanup of old ordnance is nearly finished, it may be only a matter of time before build-out begins. To do the job safely, the military divided the 45-square-mile isle into sections as small as 100 square meters. Workers walk the grid daily, using GPS and high-end software by San Francisco's Farallon Geographics to compile data on live and spent bombs, rockets, guided missiles, grenades, and artillery shells. The findings are logged in a database, and the map is redrawn. Next year, Kahoolawe could see a whole new kind of explosion: tourism.

START

hype list
Keeping a Lid on Pyongyang
How US Schools Rate in Cyber Liberties
jargon watch
Collect $444,199. Go to Jail?
See Bot Run
Picking Up Shells
Why Voice Over Wi-Fi Has Telcos Dialing 911
Wing Commander
What Is Smart Dust, Anyway?
Fighting Terror With Webcams
Wired | Tired | Expired