Just like you can check out almost any part of the world with Google Earth's Street View tool, now the oceans are up for exploring too! By going to maps.google.com/ocean you can explore the various reefs where Google has already pilot programs showing 360 degree footage of marine flora and fauna.
By using a special underwater camera that takes panoramic pictures every 4 seconds, Google has stitched together enough photos to make it seem like you are actually experiencing a dive. The hope with this project, other than allow normal land-bearing people to go virtual scuba diving, is to create a baseline of coral reefs so that scientists can measure change as climate change continues to affect reefs worldwide.
So far the reefs up for digital diving are: the Great Barrier Reef, the Philippines, and Hawaii! Check it out!
