Google Earth takes to the seas

 

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Posted on 3 Feb 2009 at 09:09

Google will now take you beneath the surface of the seas. The new version of Google Earth lets you explore underwater terrain in 3D while diving into new content about the world's seas and oceans contributed by experts in ocean science and advocacy.

As users zoom in on the ocean they will see a dynamic water surface and once they dive beneath the surface they can navigate the sea floor terrain. The feature has 20 content layers including: Explore the Ocean, containing photos and videos; a National Geographic Magazine geo-quiz and overlays from their new Atlas of the Ocean; and videos from the archives of Jacques Cousteau, featuring never-before-seen footage of historic ocean expeditions.

Eric Schmidt, Google’s chief executive, said that the new feature gives a new perspective in the importance of the oceans to the earth’s ecosystem and in the debate on climate change.

“In discussions about climate change, the world’s oceans are often overlooked despite being an integral part of the issue,” Schmidt said. “About one-third of the carbon dioxide that we emit into the atmosphere ends up in the oceans. Furthermore, biodiversity loss in our oceans in the next 20-30 years will be roughly equivalent to losing an entire Amazon rainforest, but this goes unnoticed because we can’t see it.”

The new version of Google Earth also introduces three other new features. Historical Imagery enables users to virtually travel back in time through archival satellite and aerial imagery; Touring lets users to create and share a narrated tour; Google Mars 3D, which leaves the Earth to fly to the red planet.

It also brings in the GPS Tracking feature that was previously only available in the Plus and Pro versions of Google Earth. All users can now upload tracks from GPS devices (including many Garmin, Magellan, and NMEA-compatible devices) to visualise and record running, hiking, driving and biking routes.

The new feature was developed in close collaboration with oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle.

“I cannot imagine a more effective way to inspire awareness and caring for the blue heart of the planet than the new ocean in Google Earth,” Earle said. “For the first time, everyone from curious kids to serious researchers can see the world, the whole world, with new eyes. In a stroke, Google Earth brings life and character to the blue part of the planet, and makes obvious the many ways land, water, atmosphere and living systems connect.”

Google Earth 5.0 is a free download from earth.google.com/.

Author: Simon Aughton