Wednesday, January 8, 2025

SearchResearch Challenge (1/8/25): Earliest photograph from Cozumel, Mexico?

Simple questions are sometimes tricky. 

Lionfish at 20m (60 feet) on the reef in Cozumel, Mexico


As we've noticed before, even very simple questions sometimes bring up unexpected surprises and issues.  That's the case with this week's very simple question. 

As it turns out, I'm taking a vacation week in Cozumel, Mexico.  I'm scuba diving with my buddies and as you know, travel often begets questions in the curious mind. 

I started searching for the earliest photos I could find taken on Cozumel.  Easy, right?  Turns out there are interesting issues here.  See if you can spot the biggest issue and work around it! 

This week's SearchResearch Challenge isn't hard, but I think it's an important one that speaks to the future of doing online research.  Let's figure it out together.  

1. What is the earliest / oldest photograph you can find that was taken on Cozumel?

I know, it sounds simple--but can you find the issue with this question?  

Let us know what you find. 

Keep searching! 

 

Imagine that I'm here.
P/C LRM from Pexels.com


5 comments:

  1. Hi Dr Russell

    I hope you are enjoying Cozumel, Cenotes, Papadzules, Cochinita and Mexico.

    I know that Cancún was developed in the 70's and I guess that's the moment Cozumel also started receiving more visits.

    On Wikipedia, the article says in 1956 Rene Cardona started talking about Cozumel's water so I guess maybe that could be the first image. Or at least near those years

    https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipio_de_Cozumel

    ReplyDelete
  2. Searched [Fotografías antiguas Cozumel] many results with FB groups show some photos. I don't have that so only few posts available.

    Also this YouTube with images from the past

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iajPrL5ENtc

    ReplyDelete
  3. a maybe? BTT (you can't spend all your time submerged)
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/rzKuyMC74DjBce8m8
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/MA6EaC4ZGnYFE5UN7
    found an 1855 example but am suspect because of this:
    "1856: Englishman William Thompson shoots the first underwater image"
    and that April Fool 2014 Maya thing… NO faded "geographs"
    https://www.google.com/url?esrc=s&q=&rct=j&sa=U&url=https://thisiscozumel.com/news/70-latest-news/1536-world-s-earliest-photos-found-in-cozumel&ved=2ahUKEwjqu63S6eaKAxUvGDQIHfrRD9IQFnoECAMQAg&usg=AOvVaw3uNFHxHdb1pt0iu23ZPaXt
    https://www.cozumeluwphoto.com/post/scuba-diving-cozumel
    off Cuba is a different story - maybe they cruise Cozumel?
    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-submarine-ships-cuba-caribbean-military-exercises-photos/
    https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/14/politics/nuclear-submarine-us-navy-havana-russia/index.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. With [Primera fotografía de Cozumel]

    Photo from 1901. Plus the History about how the place became in 1849 as San Miguel de Cozumel

    https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=742651327872563&id=100063831060749

    ReplyDelete
  5. are you referring to determining the veracity of historic visuals?
    1855? somewhere near Cozumel @~4m…
    https://i.imgur.com/FuCl4kM.png

    OK, not near Cozumel, but supposedly the first underwater
    https://vintagenewsdaily.com/the-story-behind-the-worlds-first-underwater-photograph-taken-by-william-thompson-in-1856/
    1893
    https://www.vintag.es/2021/01/louis-boutan-selfie.html#google_vignette
    https://bsoup.org.uk/freshly-spun/
    https://bsoup.org.uk/competitions/monthly-competitions/competition-feedback/competition-archive-2024/

    ReplyDelete