NASA and Google Inc have launched a new version of Google Earth on 2nd February that allows users to explore the oceans, view images of Mars and watch regions of the Earth change over time.
The new features mark a significant upgrade to Google Earth, a popular software program that provides access to the world's geographical information through digital maps, satellite imagery and the company's search tools.
Google Earth 5.0 was unveiled at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where former Vice President Al Gore, singer Jimmy Buffet and others spoke about its capacity to educate the public about global warming, ocean acidification and other threats to the planet.
"This is an extremely powerful educational tool," said Gore, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work raising awareness about climate change. "One of my fondest hopes is that people around the world will use Google Earth to see for themselves the reality of what's happening because of the climate crisis."
Google Earth has been downloaded more than 500 million times since it was launched in 2005. The software is available for free on Google's Web site. Researchers and organizations can purchase a more powerful version for $400.
John Hanke, director of Google Earth and Maps aid: ”the idea of adding oceans came three years ago when a scientist pointed out that the software was missing the water that covers almost three-quarters of the Earth's surface.
NASA and Google, Inc. have teamed up to build the ultimate atlas for Mars fans eager to explore the red planet in three-dimensional detail while keeping their feet firmly on Earth.
Google Mars 3D, a new mode included in Google's latest version of Google Earth software, allows users to tap into high-resolution and three-dimensional views of Martian terrain from the comfort of their own personal computer.
The mode, which relies on NASA data and imagery from the agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and other spacecraft, is designed so users can "fly" through Martian canyons in a virtual mode and see the red planet's surface through the camera eyes of those long-lived NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity, as well as other Mars missions.
The new Mars mode also includes a sharing feature so users can add their own 3D content to the Mars map for all to see.
NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., collaborated with Google to build the new Google Mars 3D mode. In addition to NASA data, the software includes data produced by researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University, SETI Institute and other organizations
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