Show HN: Algorithmically Finding the Longest Line of Sight on Earth
A duo of developers embarked on an epic computational journey, using Rust and SIMD, to definitively map the Earth's longest line of sight. They successfully confirmed a 530km view between Kyrgyzstan and China, a truly astounding geographical and engineering feat. This Show HN resonates with the community for its blend of ambitious problem-solving, deep technical execution, and a genuinely fascinating result.
The Lowdown
Tom and Ryan unveiled "All The Views," a monumental project that algorithmically pinpointed the longest line of sight on Earth. This endeavor wasn't just about finding a point on a map; it involved developing a custom algorithm and deploying significant computational resources to exhaustively search every potential view.
- The team utilized a custom algorithm, CacheTVS, built with Rust and SIMD, to process an immense dataset.
- After two days of continuous computation across multiple machines (hundreds of AMD cores, GBs of RAM, TBs of disk), they confirmed the longest line of sight.
- The winning view stretches 530km from Pik Dankova in Kyrgyzstan to the Hindu Kush in China, validating previous speculation.
- Runners-up include a 504km view in Colombia and a 483km view from Mount Elbrus (Russia) to the Pontic Mountains (Turkey).
- An interactive map is provided, allowing users to explore over 1 billion lines of sight globally.
- Detailed technical breakdowns of the algorithm and pipeline are available on their respective blogs. This project exemplifies a 'labor of love,' combining advanced programming techniques with a passion for geographical exploration, offering both technical inspiration and a new perspective on our planet's vastness.
The Gossip
Wireless Wonders & Woes
Discussions quickly turned to the practical application of these long lines of sight for radio communication, specifically long-range Wi-Fi. While some envisioned "wifi long shots," others pointed out the significant technical hurdles, such as signal timing delays over 530km that would render standard Wi-Fi protocols unusable, suggesting more basic communication methods might be feasible instead.
Computational Comparisons & Peer Projects
Commenters shared their own related projects, often highlighting different technical approaches or problem scopes. One user showcased a tool that visualizes visible and occluded terrain from a single point using "AI-generated JavaScript," contrasting with the original project's Rust and SIMD, sparking a small sub-discussion about its functionality.
Geographical Grandeur & Algorithm Appreciation
Beyond the technicalities, many expressed admiration for the project's ambition and the sheer wonder of the geographical findings. The effort involved in exhaustively searching the entire planet for such a specific metric was widely appreciated, with some simply offering praise for the impressive accomplishment.