Google, google earth, google ocean, google sky, maps, oceans, water

Google Goes Back to 1500, Plans to Map the Oceans

As a natural progression from Google Earth and Google Sky, the Mountain View monolith now plans to create 3D maps of the Earth's oceans and seas and make it available via Google Ocean. The software will allow users to navigate the aquatic bottom and see the topography that exists down there. Google also plans to include interactive data about various subjects such as weather patterns, coral reefs, shipwrecks and currents. The goal for Google Ocean is to use as much high resolution photography of the underwater terrain as possible, offering more than just a map. But researchers say such a process could take upwards of 100 years. And Google, if you're going to include an Easter egg similar to Google Earth's flight sim, could we get a guided tour with a virtual Team Zissou? [CNet News]

9:00 PM on Wed Apr 30 2008
By Adrian Covert
7,971 views
26 comments

Comments

mfaerber at 09:07 PM on 04/30/08
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I knew, KNEW, you were going to go with a Zissou joke... Anyways, this is damn cool.
mth2574 at 09:10 PM on 04/30/08
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Do any ideas get turned down at google HQ
92BuickLeSabre at 09:15 PM on 04/30/08
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I hope they find Sealabs 2020 and 2021.
SuperMacGuy at 09:21 PM on 04/30/08
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Will they map that floating island of trash in the Pacific?
jmdecombe at 10:03 PM on 04/30/08
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Not 100 years... 100 *SHIP* years.
scrag at 10:10 PM on 04/30/08
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This is like the coolest thing ever - yay for us scuba divers!
kOtic at 10:11 PM on 04/30/08
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As long as they stick away from bearing 305...
hammertime1994 at 10:12 PM on 04/30/08
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Oh great autonomous subs are going to destroy our reefs now, as if pollution wasn't enough.
klew at 10:15 PM on 04/30/08
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Aren't there plenty of topographic/depth charts for them to use as a starting base (at least for rivers, lakes, and coastal zones)?
ab3 at 10:17 PM on 04/30/08
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Thank god! I was tired of my GPS not having maps for the ocean. Its hard enough to drive on water, let alone navigate all those darn water molecules.
packetsniffer at 10:24 PM on 04/30/08
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Maybe the easter egg could involve Scuba Steve.

"The software will allow users to navigate the aquatic bottom and see the topography that exists down there."
That seems rather redundant...
Git Em SteveDave at 10:59 PM on 04/30/08
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@92BuickLeSabre: And my Happy Cake oven. It makes real cupcakes with a 40 watt bulb. But the secret ingredient is love dammit!
electrikecho at 11:39 PM on 04/30/08
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If Endless Ocean might lend any insight into underwater exploration programs, if you aren't blowing stuff up like X-COM: Terror from the Deep, you won't be playing it for long.
Looking at underwater 3D-topo isn't very exciting.

I'm not sure if this would be all that useful; underwater topography changes rapidly (especially around tidal areas), so beyond mucking about the Mariana Trench while waiting for e-mail, or seeing a 3d bump of the Titanic, I'm not sure if the a Google topo map will offer more than what is already available to survey companies.
FranklinTurtle at 12:48 AM on 05/01/08
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They should have basic surface, the basic underwater terrain, and then just explore select cool places.
kevman90 at 02:32 AM on 05/01/08
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@FranklinTurtle: like atlantis?
Arelar at 05:59 AM on 05/01/08
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they will find Rapture and sue 2k games
B at 06:10 AM on 05/01/08
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Great... so it took them only 2 years to plan something that is already implemented in NASA World Wind?

See this video:

+ Watch video
rshettle at 07:21 AM on 05/01/08
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ok, this is fine and great and all but has anyone asked... why???
bms at 08:16 AM on 05/01/08
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Finally. I have been looking for a good route from the US to England. I always get lost as I leave the Caribbean plate.
Gann at 10:23 AM on 05/01/08
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As a pirate I approve of this.
Gann at 10:23 AM on 05/01/08
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AAAARRRRRR!!!!!
BMErdin at 10:29 AM on 05/01/08
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@kevman90: Screw that, what about R'lyeh?
Geisrud at 11:22 AM on 05/01/08
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@Gann: Watch out for the Gizmodo ninjas. They don't even need boats.
DaOtter at 11:36 AM on 05/01/08
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@Git Em SteveDave: Now you get out there and map my Happy Cake over, or die trying. You hear that Stormy? Diiiiieee...
Jasoco at 08:03 PM on 05/01/08
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Wouldn't it be easier just to drain the oceans and retake the satellite photos?

I'll call the Combine.
wineaux at 12:01 PM on 05/02/08
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Instead of Street View... Sub View!

Maybe now we'll be able to avoid some of those troublesome data cables and fishing boats...