'Desert Breath' Seen via Google Earth is an Artwork

The enormous structure of interlocking spiral arms in the middle of a desert in Egypt might look like a portal to alternate universe, but is actually an environmental art installation.

The 100,000 square meters artwork was constructed in 1997 and can be seen even today using Google Earth or Google Maps. It is located in the El Gouna in Egypt. 

According to its creators- Danae Stratou, Alexandra Stratou and Stella Constantinides- the installation shows the desert as a "state of mind". They call the artwork the Desert Breath.

"Located between the sea and a body of mountains at the point where the immensity of the sea meets the immensity of the desert, the work functions on two different levels in terms of viewpoint: from above as a visual image, and from the ground, walking the spiral pathway, a physical experience," the artists write about their creation on their website.

The art installation has two interlocking arms spiraling out of a common center. One of the arms has vertical cones while the other has conical depressions. The artwork was completed in 1997.

Sahara is now changing the artwork- blowing the sand away from the vertical cones and filling in the depression.

"Desert Breath still exists becoming through its slow disintegration, an instrument to measure the passage of time," the artists say.

You can view the artwork on Google Earth using coordinates: 27°22'54.59"N, 33°37'48.46"E.

Desert Breath isn't the only unusual formation seen using Google Earth, Google Maps or other such platforms. Livescience has compiled a list of 12 strange sights on earth. The list includes a pentagram seen in Kazakhstan and a large triangle in Australia.