The director of the Abyss has reached the Abyss!

[Jan]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/james-cameron-begins-solo-dive-to-the-bottom-of-the-ocean/2012/03/25/gIQAPDwOaS_story.html?hpid=z3

 

 

 

James Cameron becomes first solo explorer to reach the deepest point on Earth

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[treesprite]

Wow, interesting.

 

I'm questioning the bringing of creatures up, because I'm assuming humans aren't the only animals that are endangered by a drastic pressure change over a limited period of time.

[hbh]

Had the same thought: Could a creature survive out of it's depth?

Awesome for Mr. Cameron! May he have many more dives like it!

[Ryan S]

Very cool. Can't wait to see the video from the trip.

[Glenn]

^ +1

[SunWyrm]

Wow, interesting.

 

I'm questioning the bringing of creatures up, because I'm assuming humans aren't the only animals that are endangered by a drastic pressure change over a limited period of time.

 

 

I don't think they're meant to survive.

[Coral Hind]

The pressure going that deep is incredible, 1,084 times atmospheric pressure. That would be close to 8 tons per square inch! I hope they release some video of what he saw soon.

[Jan]

That would be terrible.

 

I don't think they're meant to survive.

[Glenn]

From what I read, his hydraulics (for the remote arms) failed and he brought NOTHING back to the surface

[extreme_tooth_decay]

From what I read, his hydraulics (for the remote arms) failed and he brought NOTHING back to the surface

 

Yes that is what this article says: LINK

[Integral9]

Too bad that all he saw was some amphipods and no water controlling aliens... well, amphipods kinda look like aliens, if you get real close.

 

I think historically speaking, a perfectly flat level plain is not a good place to search for life. It is a good place to land though... Life wants to hide in cracks and corners when presented with the unkown, so next time I think it would be better to aim for the abyssal cliff. hopefully nothing is hungry and large enough to eat him.

[Jan]

...and so the gold rush begins.... http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/environment/virgin-oceanics-voyage-to-the-bottom-of-the-sea/0

[LanglandJoshua]

I don't think they're meant to survive.

 

This is something that has bothered me for a while. When I was studying Oceanography I was trying to design a tank that could sustain that kind of life. It is so incredibly technical! If there is anyone making an attempt, I would love to be there. This is the obsession that got me to put "tank/build design addict" under my profile pic!

 

 

I have come to believe that extremely powerful one way valves and a combination of sea level pressure tanks for filtration equipment and high pressure tanks for livestock would be the most effective way. I wonder what kind of filtration equipment could safely clean that high pressure of water without the low pressure tanks? AVAST makes some great skimmers. But I'd be impressed if the Peg Leg series could handle the pressures of the Mariana's Trench!

 

I could imagine steel sample jars with locking lids to maintain pressure on the way up to the boat. Something like this would allow Oceanographers to study ANYTHING they can bring back up. I doubt I'm the only one to wonder "what would happen IF" we could do this. Has anyone heard of a system that could keep these alive? If I remember correctly, the science channel said that it was "impossible" on one of their documentaries. That sounds like a challenge to me.