(I know. Kind of an easy post title, but I couldn’t resist)

Google recently launched Project Loon, an ambitious effort to see if a network of balloons flying way up in the stratosphere can be used to deliver Internet access to those who do not have access to it. Google reminds us that 2 out of every 3 people on earth do not have access to the Internet – that’s more than I thought. (It’s easy to lose sight of this living in a developed country where Internet access is taken for granted.) Of course, one of Google’s goals is to get more and more people simply using the Internet, which ultimately feeds into their bottom line. Still, it’s hard not to get inspired by such a bold and crazy idea and the problems it hopes to solve. You can read more about Google’s Project Loon on the official Google Blog.

In addition, photographer and blogger Trey Ratcliff was asked by Google to document a pilot of Project Loon in New Zealand, and he posted a great writeup that compiles the photos and video of the event. In addition, Trey was a guest on the Sun, June 16th episode of This Week in Tech where he talks more about the project (the episode is long, but Trey is in the first segment of the show).