Google has released new Street View images of over 40 underwater locations around the globe, including the American Somoa in the South Pacific Ocean, the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean and deep-sea dives from Bali, the Bahamas and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The images exhibit the beauty of life beneath the waters (with pictures of whales, fish and corals), as well as shipwrecks and other areas users can explore.
The objective of this new feature is not only to show the ocean's beauty, but also to create awareness about the damage being done to Earth's waters.
Google worked in conjunction with XL Catlin Seaview Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Chagos Conservation Trust to create the imagery. These organizations are devoted to studying the oceans and alerting people about the dangers the world's oceans are facing, reported CNET.
"Home to the majority of life on Earth, the ocean acts as its life support system, controlling everything from our weather and rainfall to the oxygen we breathe," Google said in a blog post. "Yet despite the ocean's vital importance, the ocean is changing at a rapid rate due to climate change, pollution and overfishing, making it one of the most serious environmental issues we face today."
"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," said Google.
Google released the underwater Street View images just in time for World Oceans Day, June 8.
