SINGAPORE: Google Earth has just gone one step further and now allows users to take a 3D dive into the sea.
Users can view ocean topography, watch regions of the Earth change over time, and even check out the scenery on Mars.
Former US vice-president, Al Gore, who is also a Nobel Peace Prize winner, said: "Google Earth uses the Earth itself as an organising metaphor, not only for visual imagery, but for all of the imagery, historical, scientific, cultural, everything you can think of… and it is organised geospatially because it makes more sense. It's easier to use.”
In Southeast Asia, Google hopes to work with environmental groups to provide more focused data for the software.
Marketing manager of Google Southeast Asia, Derek Callow, said: "There's a wealth of data from user-generated content. We're a region that's got a lot of coastlines, a lot of learning opportunities and tourist spots, but also some real environmental challenges."
And the environmental challenges include pollution and endangered marine life.
Many local environmental groups here have been embracing the Internet for quite a while now, but with this new feature on Google Earth, they say they will be able to raise more awareness about the environment, especially about marine conservation in this region.
Executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, Howard Shaw, said: "There is a lack of information in this region and the region we call the Coral Triangle, which contains the richest biodiversity of anywhere in the planet, exceeding that of the South American Amazon rainforests even."
More than 500 million people have downloaded Google Earth since it was launched in 2005. While the software is available free on Google's website, researchers and organisations can purchase a more powerful version for about US$400.
Google says the idea of adding oceans came three years ago when a scientist pointed out that the software lacked details of what is under the water, which covers almost three-quarters of the Earth's surface. |
