How Is Google Getting This Data?
Unlike Google Street View, where Google obtains street-level imagery by sending vans around the country gathering photos, it doesn’t sound like the company is deploying its own submarines to explore the ocean (cue shareholder sigh of relief). Rather, Google is developing partnerships with others that already send vessels underwater.
Google Earth to Go Underwater
Partners sharing data
Google Earth
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Official Google Blog
Didn't Google Earth always have an ocean? Technically, yes, well, sort of. We have always had a big blue expanse and some low-resolution shading to suggest depth. But starting today we have a much more detailed bathymetric map (the ocean floor), so you can actually drop below the surface and explore the nooks and crannies of the seafloor in 3D. While you're there you can explore thousands of data points including videos and images of ocean life, details on the best surf spots, logs of real ocean expeditions, and much more.