Google has managed to capture some truly amazing imagery for Street View over the years, and when I stop and think about how Street View didn’t even exist not all that long ago, it completely amazes me to see how far it’s come.
In honor of World Oceans Day on June 8, Google is now sharing some new imagery of over 40 locations around the world thanks to a partnership with XL Catlin Seaview Survey, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and the Chagos Conservation Trust.
New locations include the American Samoa and Chagos Islands and underwater dives in Bali, the Bahamas and the Great Barrier Reef.
“We hope the release of this imagery inspires people to learn more about this precious natural resource,” Google says in a blog post. “Mapping the ocean is key to preserving it. Each image in Google Maps is a GPS-located digital record of these underwater and coastal environments, which can be used as a baseline to monitor change over time. This comprehensive record of coral reefs showcases the beauty of these ecosystems and highlights the threats they face, such as the impact of increasing storms in the Great Barrier Reef and of rising water temperatures, factors causing the reefs to bleach white.”
“With just one click, you can swim underwater alongside some of the most wondrous and exotic creatures, including a sea turtle in the Solomon Islands, humpback whales in the Cook Islands, great white sharks in Australia, and the huge and mysterious sunfish (Mola mola) in Bali,” it adds.
Google also announced some additional partnerships to gain more underwater imagery including with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Reef Check, Blue Ventures, Our World Underwater Scholarship Society, and GUE’s Project Baseline.
More on Google’s ocean-related efforts here.
According to reports, Google will launch a Street View app in August,which will let users submit photo spheres to Maps, and will enable them to upload imagery directly from 360-degree cameras.
Images via Google