Ever wondered or wished that you could be part of an exciting, adventure-filled treasure hunt? Or were you the type of kid who enjoyed going on Easter egg hunts or snooping around in the attic looking for something valuable? There might be an outdoor activity that you just might enjoy.
It's called geocaching and you can think of it as a modern-day way of treasure hunting.
As August 21 is the International Geocaching Day, why not celebrate the occasion by learning more about what geocaching is, how it is done, and how GPS plays a crucial role in finding hidden treasures all around the world.
Geocaching: What is It?
Geocaching has been defined by National Geographic as "a type of global treasure hunt of people looking for caches or hidden stashes of objects."
It can also be seen as a series of hide-and-seek games, according to the National Geographic, because geocaching involves what is referred to as "hiders" who provide clues for those looking for the hidden objects.
A very important aspect of geocaching is the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to look for the hidden caches, the term used for the treasures hidden around the world.
Caches are also known as geocaches. Here's a random trivia for you: Geocache is a Scrabble world.
How Geocaching is Done
The first game of geocaching was played on May 3rd, 2000, according to an article by BBC.
According to the article, "Dave Ulmer placed a five-gallon bucket near a wooded road about one mile from his home in Portland, Oregon. Inside the bucket were a logbook and some trinkets for trading."
Ulmer dubbed the game "The Great American GPS Stash Hunt." Three days after he placed the give-gallon bucket, the logbook was logged in for the first time.
That was how it was almost more than 20 years ago. These days, the first step to geocaching is actually registering online.
After registering, geocachers (the term used for those participating in geocaching) must then look for the GPS coordinates of the caches, according to the National Geographic. Caches can be hidden, but never buried. Virtual caches are not allowed in geocaching.
Once a cache is found, geocacher must log in the logbook just like the first time the game was played.
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What is GPS?
Geocaching literally will not be possible if it were not for the GPS. The GPS, or global positioning system, is defined by Geotab as "a global navigation satellite system that provides location, velocity and time synchronization."
You can find GPS in your phone, in your car, and many other places where you can put a tracking device. The GPS can help you find your way on the road or even lost things that have been stolen from you.
GPS has also been used to find really valuable things. In 2014, GPS was used to find the Antikythera shipwreck and recover the treasures in it.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Isabella James
