Former Vice President Al Gore points at a screen showing the new Google Earth 5.0 at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco on Monday. The new version lets users explore the oceans, view images of Mars, and watch the Earth's surface change over time. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Google Earth maps the oceans
By Eoin O'Carroll | 02.04.09
It began three years ago with a chance meeting in Spain between the legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle and John Hanke, the director of Google Earth, the company’s free virtual globe software.
“John, when are you going to finish it?” asked Ms. Earle, “You should call Google Earth ‘Google Dirt.‘”
After that, Mr. Hanke and his team got to work mapping the remaining 70 percent of the planet’s surface. The result: Google Earth 5.0, which became available on Monday.
On the Official Google Blog, Hanke writes:
We have always had a big blue expanse and some low-resolution shading to suggest depth. But starting today we have a much more detailed bathymetric map (the ocean floor), so you can actually drop below the surface and explore the nooks and crannies of the seafloor in 3D. While you’re there you can explore thousands of data points including videos and images of ocean life, details on the best surf spots, logs of real ocean expeditions, and much more.
The “much more” includes shipwrecks, sea surface temperature data, maps of Marine Protected Areas, so-called dead zones, wildlife tracking data, chlorophyll levels, old Jacques Cousteau videos, and much more. One favorite is a feature that allows you to track Arctic sea ice extent from 1979 to 2008.
To gather all this data, Google turned to a host of ocean scientists and environmental advocacy groups, including the Cousteau Society, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the National Geographic Society, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the New England Aquarium, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to name a few.
Conservationists praised the software’s potential to boost public support. The New York Times’s Andrew Revkin quotes Barbara Block, a marine biologist at Stanford University:
“We cannot as a community conserve what we cannot see,” Dr. Block said. “We’ve worked with the Monterey Bay Aquarium for years to put giant bluefin and white sharks on display, and if we’re lucky 2 million people a year come and see the animals and discover their color, beauty of motion, and form. With the Google oceans feature, we potentially can reach hundreds of millions.”
A press release from the Geneva-based International Union for Conservation of Nature, which compiles the world’s most comprehensive listing of the conservation status of plants and animals, quotes Carl Gustaf Lundin, who heads the organization’s Global Marine Programme.
“With ‘Ocean in Google Earth’ everybody can see the unbelievable beauty of our marine life and how incredibly threatened it is.”
Other features in this latest release of Google Earth include the ability to view historical map data, to create narrated, sharable tours, and to view the terrain of Mars.
<< Bush orders new protections for Pacific marine seascapes | MainComments
3. danie mconald | 02.04.09
this is so exciting!! there are some people in this world that have not experienced standing at the shore and watching the tide rolling in and washing out. God made eveything, and made it beautiful, so His people could enjoy it. now, He has given all thse people involved, knowledge, to share with the world!! what a blessing!!
4. Derek Woodward | 02.04.09
I think google have introduced further wow factor into what was already a powerful tool.
I discovered recently that my son who is a scientist is using aspects of Google World in his work.
And for someone like me who has a simple hunger for knowledge and information it keeps me happy for hours.
It is a wonderful public spirited gesture. It obviously consumes a great deal of manpower, time and a substantial financial investment to achieve what has been provided.
I applaud Google for what they have provided to date and are obviously continuing to expand
5. Ken Peterson | 02.04.09
At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we’re proud to be part of this incredible new tool for raising awareness of the beauty — and importance — of the oceans. We’re also delighted that Google included our Seafood Watch recommendations as a layer in Google Ocean, so folks everywhere have another tool to make seafood choices that will preserve the health of ocean ecosystems. — Ken Peterson, Monterey Bay Aquarium
7. Lilly | 02.04.09
OH YEAH BABY! This comes in handy soooooo much with my Science Homework…. and plus it only incourages my want and desire to become a scientist
9. Chris Marks | 02.05.09
I remember back during the cold war that detailed mapping information of the sea floor was considered a state secret because of hiding places of nuclear ballistic submarines. I wonder how detailed this information is compared to that the navy was trying to keep secret then.
10. J. Norred | 02.05.09
One more step in the right direction! As more people check this out perhaps they will pause and think before they throw that plastic burger container out their SUV’s window.
11. Devin M. | 02.05.09
This is a GREAT idea. Now google covers EVERYTHING that I want to look at now!
13. Min-woo Kim | 02.08.09
[Title: Google Ocean + Google Latitude = Real-time Fishing LBS Contents]
Have you heard about Real-time Fishing LBS Contents? Real-time Fishing LBS Contents is Location Based Service for IPTV, WiMAX, Mobile. This Service Model was created in 2002 by I&IWorld. I&IWorld’s located in South Korea. As you know, there’re many people enjoy fishing in the world(about 5 hundred million). I&IWorld’s Real-time Fishing LBS Contents is like these.
[Main Functions]
1.The underwater topography and 3D views with fishing spots
2.Real-time fishing points tracing by GPS and angling direction guide
3.Service the real-time fishing condition about fishing place(weather, water temp, depth etc)
4.Angler Social network(such as Second Life)
Visit http://www.koreacontent.org/co/i/iiworld/index.html. We have proposed this Service Model to Google over 3 years ago. If you need more information, please send your email address.
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1. Tunnel Walker | 02.04.09
Im glad it’s here! I have been waiting a long time for some thing like this.
Thank you Google Earth 5.