Microsoft Virtual Earth Adds Wikipedia Overlay

With news today that IARPA is looking into using virtual worlds for data analysis and processing, here's an interesting option for civilians. Microsoft Virtual Earth has added an overlay to tie Wikipedia articles to relevant geographical locations. Google Earth and NASA World Wind, I believe, have both had Wikipedia overlays incorporated for some time, but Microsoft's more recent take looks pretty interesting. Users can browse Virtual Earth looking at pin points on the map that redirect to the appropriate (or relatively appropriate) Wikipedia entry or other information from the Geoweb that have already been widely indexed according to coordinates. "We've been indexing all of them in our Spatial Search and Explore indexes making it easy to now surf Wikipedia on a map in your browser," explains the Virtual Earth Blog. "Have fun. and be careful - its addicting Exploring Wikipedia this way and will eat up many hours."