The idea is to create a globe with a higher level of detail and realism than normal globes.

The main way of doing this is to enclose the globe in a larger glass globe, with the layer in between filled with a mixture of 2 or more liquids. I don't know which particular liquids would be suitable, but they should not mix and one should be clear with the other being cloudy, like clouds. The globe rotates causing mild coriolis forces and making swirly patterns and mini hurricanes, etc.

It may be possible to have a liquid which reacts to temperature changes. If so, a peltier would warm the equator and cool the poles, perhaps even causing some of the liquid to stick to the poles (this could be done for mountains too).

Realism can be further enhanced by lighting the globe from only 1 side and adding tiny fibre optic lights which switch on and off in the populated areas of the dark side.
-- marklar, Feb 19 2009

I want one! I saw a version of this in a science museum, where the globe itself was fixed as it was about 2 meters in diameter. Clouds were represented by a vapor of some sort, and the coriolis effect was achieved by the visitors' manual spinning of a plexiglas-covered atmosphere a couple millimeters thick.
-- placid_turmoil, Feb 19 2009



random, halfbakery