Virtual explorers can now discover and watch YouTube videos while they traverse the globe.

Starting today, a YouTube layer will be available in the Featured Content folder of Google Earth.

The new layer enables users to zoom in on any location on the planet and view YouTube videos related to that place. For example, a trip to Maui offers videos of surfing, snorkeling and exotic sea life.

The integration of YouTube functionality into Google Earth offers a new way to experience destinations as seen through the eyes of YouTube users who have visited them, enabling people to watch, hear and feel what's happening in locations theythank may never have otherwise visited.

To use the new feature, users should download the newest Google Earth client. Once in Google Earth they should open the "Featured Content" folder on the left hand side of the screen and click "YouTube." Once clicked, icons of the YouTube logo will be visible on the globe. Users can either fly from place to place, exploring videos as they go, or they can search for a particular location and view the videos available there. Users mouse over the icon to read the title of the video, and clicking on the icon will open a pop-up bubble. Windows users can watch the video directly in the pop-up bubble; Mac and Linux users should click the link in the bubble to watch the video in their browser.