# What is this weird pattern of streets in China? (Google Maps)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-weird-pattern-of-streets-in-china-google-maps/504691>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 29, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-weird-pattern-of-streets-in-china-google-maps/504691 "2009-07-29T18:33:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-weird-pattern-of-streets-in-china-google-maps/504691/41 "2009-07-30T23:06:36Z")

</div>

They ordered a set of [Nazca Lines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Lines) in kit form but lost the instruction sheet.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-weird-pattern-of-streets-in-china-google-maps/504691/42 "2009-07-30T23:16:35Z")

</div>

> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#):
>
> Imagery from April 15th 2005 shows them in the middle of construction - oddly enough, it looks like they’ve either laid down chalk or possibly concrete, and that it has lasted pretty much intact for 4 years in a presumably harsh environment - very odd.

The Google Earth lines from the OP have actually been floating around since  
[2006](http://www.gearthhacks.com/dlfile20425/Chinese-Desert---strange-lines.htm).

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-weird-pattern-of-streets-in-china-google-maps/504691.md?page=2)