Google Maps has definitely made it exceptionally easier for us to explore the natural beauty of this Earth far and beyond our reach. But, the tech giant isn’t done with mapping everything as of yet. It is now taking us to the fierce depths of an active volcano — that too over a thousand miles off the coast of Australia.
As per the official blog post, the Mountain View-based tech giant is using its 360-degree Google Street View cameras to help us explore the beauty of Vanuatu, a collection of 80 tiny islands. The islands are flooded with mesmerizing and lush green natural beauty but this is coupled with nine active volcanos — full of bubbling lava lakes. And Google is now ready to give us a peek at them from the comfort of your homes using Maps.
Sounds dangerous, right? Not to Google and the explorers its has partnered with to explore the Vanuatuan island of Ambrym. The said island features two active volcanic cones, namely Marum and Benbow. And Google has partnered with explorers — Geoff Mackley and Chris Horsly to provide you with a 360-degree view of how fantastic the insides of our Earth are.
They propelled themselves 400 meters into the heart of the active volcano — roughly the size of two football fields — and captured the spectacular photos using Google Street View Trekker cameras on their backs. Yes, the same massive rigs that you might’ve seen other trekkers wearing on their backs to capture a shot of your neighborhood.
Talking about the addition of this location to Google Maps, Geoff Mackley says,
You only realize how insignificant humans are when you’re standing next to a giant lake of fiery boiling rock. Standing at the edge and feeling the heat lick your skin is phenomenal. I hope that by putting this place on the map people will realize what a beautiful world we live in.
Marum is 101 square kilometer desolate tropical island, which is home to more than 7,000 people who reside in the rainforest down the mountain. These two active volcanoes have helped shape the history of the island and had an influence on the agricultural growth of the Endu village.
This location was nearly destroyed by Cyclone Pam back in 2015 but the community is on the path of recovery. It might be difficult to visit this island and understand the lifestyle of these individuals, so these 360-degree images will help you witness this beauty. The blog post also has an excerpt from Endu village Chief Moses, who has invited people to come and witness the volcanoes in person.
