Google (GOOG) is letting users see what it’s like to swim under the sea with a Google Street Views feature for the ocean.
The tech giant now has 40 underwater spots captured around the world, including locations in American Samoa, the Chagos Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
The images have been made available to the public in time for World Oceans Day on June 8, according to 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 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,” the blog post said.
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The company continued: “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.”
The move comes as Yahoo (YHOO) announces plans to end its own mapping service at the end of June.
For images and video of what the project looks like, visit Google’s website.
