DSV Alvin

And as they say, the rest is history.

So, as you say, you were assigned to this deep submergence laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, where alongside your naval role, you started a PhD in marine geology and geophysics at the University of Rhode Island, focused on deep sea formations, because your work at Woods Hole involves some brand new kit, a manned research submersible called Alvin.

Now, tell

me about Alvin.

Sure.

Well, I'm 6'2".

But that's plate tectonics.

Well, that project

The remotely operated vehicles can remain submerged indefinitely as long as cable management allows.

Alvin is a legendary research submersible that has made thousands of scientific dives and has been instrumental in major oceanographic discoveries that transformed our understanding of the ocean.

Alvin was first deployed in 1964 and has been continuously upgraded and modernised over the decades, becoming more reliable and capable.

The submersible can carry two scientists and one pilot to depths of approximately 4,500 metres, allowing direct human observation of the deep ocean.

alvin is particularly famous for its ground-breaking discovery of hydrothermal vent ecosystems on the ocean floor a finding that revolutionized biology in nineteen seventy seven alvin descended into darkness to the galapagos rift and discovered hot springs on the seafloor that were teeming with unique and exotic lifeforms never before seen.

Around the vents, scientists discovered thriving communities of organisms, including giant clams, strange tube worms and armoured crabs that somehow thrive in complete darkness without any sunlight whatsoever.

This discovery fundamentally and permanently changed our understanding of how life can exist on Earth.

Before Alvin's remarkable discovery, scientists believed that all life absolutely depended on sunlight for energy through photosynthesis.

Now, an expedition led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has captured the first close-up photographs of the wreck.

One of the submersibles involved was the DSV Alvin, which was the first submersible to ever visit the Titanic.

This wreck is very damaged, and there are also fishing nets blocking the view of parts of it, but the team was able to see the bow, the deck, and some of the portholes and the main mast, which has now fallen.

This wreckage has also become home to a lot of aquatic life, including pink corals and several types of fish.