ErSim

How to Use the Interactive Earth Simulation: Explore Country Facts & Bizarre Trivia on Mobile and Desktop

Welcome to the Interactive Earth Simulation, a free, immersive tool that allows you to explore facts about countries and regions across the globe. With just a click or tap, users can travel the world virtually, uncovering fascinating truths and bizarre facts alike.

Whether you're on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer, this guide will help you make the most of your experience. It includes step-by-step instructions tailored to each device type, so you can search for countries, switch between modes, and zoom into regions with ease.

🔹 Universal Features (Mobile & Desktop)

No matter what device you use, the following features function the same:

🔍 1. Search for Countries or Regions

At the top left of the simulation interface, you’ll find the search bar labeled something like Search Countries or Regions. This field allows users to quickly jump to a specific area on the globe.

• Start typing at least two letters.

• A dropdown will populate with matched countries or regions.

• Click or tap on a result to:

  • Rotate the globe to that country.

  • Zoom into the location.

  • Display the associated fact box with information.

This feature is ideal for students, travelers, or curiosity seekers wanting to explore global facts without manually rotating the Earth.

🔄 2. Switch Between Normal and Bizarre Modes

Our Earth simulation offers two information modes:

• Normal Mode – Real-world, educational facts about each country.

• Bizarre Mode – Strange, shocking, and funny trivia unique to that country.

To switch:

• Use the Mode Toggle button or switch (usually labeled “Normal / Bizarre”).

• It changes instantly and updates the fact box accordingly.

• All data is curated to entertain or educate based on the selected mode.

Whether you're using the simulation for school, fun, or trivia night prep, this dual-mode system offers a unique blend of education and entertainment.

💬 3. Explore Country Facts

Once a country is selected—either by search or by manual rotation—the simulation presents a fact box:

• Bizarre Mode: Displays oddities, unique cultural quirks, unusual laws, or strange historical tidbits.

• Normal Mode: Displays traditional facts like capitals, population, major exports, or geographic highlights.

The facts are designed to be engaging, informative, and occasionally weird in a good way, making it suitable for both formal and informal learning environments.

🔎 4. Zoom In and Out Smoothly

• The globe supports smooth zooming functionality.

• You can zoom in to view smaller countries or islands, and zoom out for broader overviews.

• Zoom behavior slows down as you get closer, allowing for precision when focusing on smaller regions.

This makes it easy to navigate to hidden gems or explore less-traveled territories.

 🔘5.  “More” Button – Expand the Guide

Need more help? Click the "More" button below the main help message to reveal additional tips and feature explanations. This lets you keep the interface clean while still providing advanced users with deeper guidance.

When clicked:

• The guide smoothly expands, revealing new lines of instruction.

• Clicking it again collapses the guide, keeping your screen clear.

Use it to access in-depth tips, like how to search for countries, use dark mode, or reset the globe.

 🕹️6. Top Controls Fade with Zoom

To keep your experience immersive and uncluttered:

• The top control panel (e.g., mode switch, search) now automatically fades out when you zoom in on the globe.

• It fades back in when you zoom out or stop interacting.

This helps reduce screen distractions and gives you more visual focus on the region you're exploring.

You can still access all controls normally — they’ll reappear the moment you stop zooming.

---

🧠 Think You Know Weird Facts?
Test yourself in our Truthoria: Myth or Truth? game!
🤔 Spot the crazy facts from the made-up myths and challenge your friends!
🔥 Play Now

🖥️ Desktop User Guide – Full Functionality for PC and Laptop Users

If you're using a desktop or laptop, navigation is primarily done with the mouse.

🖱️ 1. Rotate the Globe

• Click and hold your left mouse button on the Earth.

• Drag left/right or up/down to rotate horizontally and vertically.

• The globe rotates naturally, with momentum, simulating real planetary motion.

This is great for exploring continents freely or discovering new places by chance.

🔍 2. Zoom Using the Mouse Wheel

• Scroll your mouse wheel up to zoom in, or down to zoom out.

• Zooming slows as you get closer to ensure a smooth and natural experience.

• Limits are applied to avoid zooming too far into or out of the scene.

This gives you a free Earth simulation feel similar to Google Earth, without overwhelming details.

🌀 3. Enable Auto-Rotation with A Double Click

• Double-click anywhere on the globe to toggle auto-rotation.

• The Earth will slowly spin automatically, letting you enjoy the view hands-free.

• Auto-rotation stops the moment you click, drag, or interact again.

This is perfect for display mode, presentations, or letting the simulation idle attractively.

---

📱 Mobile User Guide – Explore the Earth on Phones and Tablets

The mobile experience is optimized for touchscreens, maintaining all functionality with tailored controls.

👆 1. Rotate with a Finger

• Use one finger to touch and drag the globe.

• Swipe left, right, up, or down to rotate the Earth in any direction.

• The experience is intuitive, smooth, and responsive.

Ideal for exploring while on the go or using the simulation in mobile classrooms.

🤏 2. Pinch to Zoom

• Place two fingers on the screen and pinch or spread them to zoom.

• Pinch in to zoom out, spread to zoom in.

• Zoom limits and friction help control the speed.

Zooming is automatically dampened the closer you get, preventing excessive speed that can break immersion.

✌️ 3. Double-Tap to Toggle Auto-Rotate

• Double-tap with one finger anywhere on the globe to activate auto-rotation.

• Tap again (or touch/drag) to stop it.

• The globe will rotate gently, showcasing countries automatically.

This is especially useful for small screens, letting you relax while the Earth spins.

✍️ 4. Typing in the Search Field (Mobile)

• Tap the search bar to bring up your mobile keyboard.

• The input has a font size of at least 16px to prevent zoom bugs on mobile browsers.

• You can type just two letters to start filtering country names.

• Tap a search result to zoom in and instantly display that country’s facts.

---

🛠 Technical Features & Enhancements

• Fully responsive design that adapts to screen sizes from mobile to large monitors.

• Built with Three.js, ensuring fluid 3D performance in modern browsers.

• Includes a fullscreen toggle button.

• Supports lazy loading, improving performance by loading assets only when needed.

---

🔒 Accessibility and Compatibility

• Works seamlessly in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and modern mobile browsers.

• Mobile layout prevents text field zoom interference.

• Auto-rotate can be toggled easily by all users regardless of device.

• Compliant with WCAG color contrast guidelines for readability.

⚠️ External Keyboard Compatibility Notice (Mobile Devices)

Using third-party mobile keyboards, such as the Grammarly Keyboard, may cause layout and resizing issues on certain devices.

These keyboards can:

• Force unexpected viewport resizing.

• Interfere with input fields by injecting overlays.

• Override scroll or layout behavior even when overflow is restricted.

• Break fixed-position UI elements on smaller screens.

For the best experience, we recommend using your device’s default system keyboard when interacting with input fields.

If you're experiencing layout shifts, input field expansion, or visual glitches while typing, try switching to your native keyboard to resolve the issue.

Discover, Learn, and Be Amazed by the World Around You

This free interactive Earth simulation isn’t just a digital globe—it’s a gateway to a world of knowledge, curiosity, and surprise. Whether you're in the mood for deep cultural insights or you're simply hunting for the most bizarre facts the world has to offer, this simulation gives you instant access to information in an engaging, immersive way.

From the comfort of your desktop or the palm of your hand, you can:

• Explore countries and regions (this is constantly being updated)

• Dive into strange world traditions and fun geography trivia

• Switch between normal and bizarre fact modes with a tap

• Seamlessly navigate the Earth with intuitive zoom and rotation controls

• Access facts instantly with the smart search bar

• Enjoy a clean, full-screen view for maximum impact

Whether you're a geography enthusiast, a teacher looking for an interactive classroom tool, or a trivia lover chasing the weirdest world records, this simulation was built for you.

Don't just read about the world—spin it, explore it, and experience its quirks first-hand.

🚀 Ready to explore?

Jump into the simulation, switch to bizarre mode, and discover just how wonderfully weird and wildly fascinating our planet really is.