Skip to main content

Explore the ocean floor with Google Earth update

google ocean Image used with permission by copyright holder

It can be hard to remember, while staring at a computer screen all day, that we landlubbers make up only 29% of the Earth’s surface. Now you can join the life aquatic, exploring the mysterious depths of the ocean while affecting a French accent, thanks to a new Google Earth update.

Recommended Videos

The new Ocean feature contains data from more than two decades of research and 500 ocean cruises thanks mainly to the curating work of the Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Data comes from a variety of research entities including the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the University of Hawaii, the U.S. military and University of Washington. The Ocean layer update coincides with World Ocean Day, a celebration proposed by the United Nations to raise global awareness over ocean related problems.

The high res maps cover an area about as large as North America, which is still only a small percentage of the world’s seafloor. Users will be able to view seafloor volcanoes, canyons, summit craters and calderas—it’s like viewing a whole new world.

A few spots to check out as pointed out by the Seafloor virtual tour are: New York’s Hudson Canyon, the Pacific’s Lamont seamount, the 10,000 foot high Mendocino Ridge, giant squid hangout Kermadec trench and more. Be sure to check out the Deep Sea Ridge Tour as well if you’re interested in volcanoes.

Though Google Ocean has been around for close to two years now, but the update sharpens resolution. According to TechCrunch, the interactive maps help scientists with their research on phenomenon like tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, changes in sea levels and even helps in understanding man-made disasters.

To get underwater, download the new layers of map data, zoom in on the multi-colored lines which detail the research voyages, zoom in as far as possible on the ocean area and then drop the Street View icon.

Jeff Hughes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I'm a SF Bay Area-based writer/ninja that loves anything geek, tech, comic, social media or gaming-related.
Update Google Chrome now to protect yourself from these severe vulnerabilities
A MacBook with Google Chrome loaded.

You might want to update Google Chrome as soon as you can, as Google has discovered some severe vulnerabilities in the web browser.

Google just issued a total of nine security fixes, covering all desktop versions of Chrome on all operating systems, with Chrome version 92.0.4515.159. The fixes were contributed by activists and external researchers.

Read more
A zero-day Google Chrome security flaw requires you to update now
Google Chrome opened on a laptop.

Google released an update to its Chrome browser for Windows and Mac users, and the internet giant strongly recommends that users apply the update as soon as possible. The update contains 14 security fixes -- including a zero-day security flaw -- that if left unchecked would leave the system vulnerable to attacks. Google categorized these fixes as critical, high, and medium importance.

Windows and Mac users who also surf the internet with the Chrome browser will want to make sure that they're on version 91.0.4472.101. To make sure that you're on the latest build of Chrome, launch your browser and then click on the three dots stacked vertically at the top right. Navigate to Settings, and then click About Chrome. From there, you'll be able to view the Chrome version number, and you can update the browser if it wasn't automatically updated in the background.

Read more
How to get Google Earth Pro for free

Google Earth is an incredible way to look at places both near and far from the comfort of your own home. If you’re looking for ways to engage more deeply with Google Earth besides the simple features available on the browser version, you’ll want to take the time to download Google Earth Pro for free.

The good news is that downloading Google Earth Pro is now a fairly quick and easy process, so you can be surveying geographical features and cities around the world in no time by following these steps.
Step 1: Choose the download that's right for you

Read more