Would-be scuba divers can now take a tour of the world's coral reefs without getting their feet wet.
Google has launched the underwater equivalent of its popular Street View service, delivering underwater panoramic images.
The company has teamed up with the Catlin Seaview Survey scientific expedition, and they hope the close-up views of underwater wonders will inspire people to protect them.
"This is a critical decade for coral reefs," said Catlin project director Richard Vevers. "We need to be recording them as fast as we can and involving people to halt the decline, which is alarming at the moment."
A small team of Catlin divers used a special camera to capture images later woven together at Google.
"You don't have to be a scuba diver or even know how to swim to explore and experience six of the ocean's most incredible living coral reefs," said Google Maps and Earth vice president Brian McClendon.
"Now, anyone can become the next virtual Jacques Cousteau and dive with sea turtles, fish and manta rays in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii."
The underwater locations include the Great Barrier Reef, the Molokini Crater, and the Apo Island marine reserve.
"We've published images in seven continents, down the Amazon and in the Arctic," said Google Oceans programme manager Jenifer Austin Foulkes.
A channel at the Google+ social network devoted to the Catlin expedition, which has the potential to discover new species of marine creatures during a "deep reef" phase, has attracted about 1.4 million followers.
Undersea imagery could be seen online at maps.google.com/ocean .
"This is a project that can engage people," Mr Vevers said.
"We need to bridge the gap between scientific understanding and public awareness ... We need people to be able to experience the ocean."
