Google Earth 5.0 goes underwater, back in time and to Mars

Google has mapped the oceans for the latest version of their planet-detailing juggernaut, Google Earth. Working with dozens of government, corporate and non-profit partners, Google Earth 5.0 combines 3D sea floor terrain topography with video clips and photos from ocean pros who have actually been there, like cool shipwreck clips from Shipwreck Central. Now you can dive to the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean — the Mariana Trench — where, if you look closely, you might see the 3D model of the Trieste, the submarine first used to reach the bottom of the trench.

Other improvements in Google Earth 5.0 include the ability to upload your own GPS tracks to map your favorite hike, and an "Historical Imagery" option that lets you see the progress of big construction projects, like the growth of the Las Vegas strip, over time. Also new: Google Mars 3D, a virtual tour of the Martian surface that lets you see where various Red Planet-bound landers crashed and surface rovers roved.