'Damning' details revealed in OceanGate submersible final report
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Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scientists shocked as deep-sea expedition captures 'enigmatic' discovery at bottom of Pacific Ocean: 'Might otherwise be missed entirely'
A crew conducting deep-sea explorations off the coast of Japan was shocked to discover a new species of sea snail living at depths never before seen for that family of animal, Discover Wildlife reported. Researchers from the Japan Agency for Earth-Marine Science and Technology made the discovery at a depth of 3.72 miles beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean, per Discover Wildlife. The sea snail was measured at 1.6 inches in diameter, which may not sound massive but is a surprising size for that depth, where the pressure is nearly 600 times the average air pressure at sea level. The researchers found the sea snail, also known as a limpet, attached to underwater volcanic rock, per Wildlife Discovery. Limpets use their tough tongues to scrape algae off rock and to aid in decomposition, playing a vital role in the ocean's ecosystem. In a study detailing the discovery, the researchers noted that most true limpets live in shallower, intertidal areas, but that scientists previously had identified two other species of deepwater true limpets. One was sighted in waters off Chile and the other in Antarctica. Due to characteristics distinguishing the newly discovered sea snail from its deepwater cousins, the researchers concluded that they had identified a new species altogether — calling it "enigmatic" and "mythical," per the Miami Herald. They named it Bathylepeta wadatsumi, inspired by the god of the sea in Japanese mythology, noting that "it is also a reference to the fish-man character 'Lark Monk' Wadatsumi from Eiichiro Oda's manga series 'ONE PIECE,' whose enormous body size is reminiscent of the large size that B. wadatsumi sp. nov. reaches for a deep-water patellogastropod." The discovery highlighted the benefits of using crewed submersibles for deep-sea explorations. "Even in the age of sophisticated remotely operated vehicles, there's often an edge to the human eye on the seafloor," said Chong Chen, the study's lead author, per Wildlife Discovery. "Crewed submersibles like Shinkai 6500 let us explore with intention and nuance – spotting lifeforms … that might otherwise be missed entirely," he added, referring to the vehicle in which the researchers had ventured to the sea floor. Should we be harnessing the ocean to power our homes? Absolutely Leave it be It depends I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The deep sea remains a massively underexplored and little understood region of the planet, with the sea bed being less well-mapped than the surface of Mars, according to the USGS. Exploring the world's oceans "allows us, collectively, to protect ocean health, sustainably manage our marine resources, accelerate our national economy, better understand our changing environment, and enhance appreciation of the importance of the ocean in our everyday lives," explained the federal organization NOAA Ocean Exploration. Particularly in the midst of rising global temperatures, better understanding oceans is vital to sustaining the world's economy and food supply. According to the U.N. Conference on Trade & Development, the cumulative value of "ocean-based economic sectors" is a staggering $3 trillion to $6 trillion every single year. Further, more than "3 billion people rely on the oceans for their livelihoods and more than 350 million jobs are linked to oceans worldwide," per UNCTAD. There are plenty of actions that can be taken at the individual level to protect the world's oceans. For example, NOAA has recommended reducing the use of pollutants and hazardous chemicals that can run off into the ocean, supporting sustainable fishing practices, and boating responsibly. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
21 hours ago
- Forbes
Deep-Sea Livestream Stirs Awe, And Political Resistance, In Argentina
Argentinians have a surprising new fixation — a livestream of deep-sea creatures spotted during an international expedition to map one of the country's largest deep-sea canyons. The viral feed has so far drawn more than 1.6 million views on YouTube per day, with the comments section overflowing with amazement, wonder and a flurry of Argentinian flags, a show of pride in the country's scientists and biodiversity. Part of the fascination with the livestream of the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon in the South Atlantic lies in the otherworldly creatures that float and walk across the screen — a shimmering neon flying squid, glowing lavender marine invertebrates known as comb jellies, a transparent siphonophore curling and swirling through the dark water, a community of pink crustaceans chilling on the sea floor. One starfish — nicknamed 'big-butt starfish' — has become a social media sensation for its resemblance to Patrick Star from the animated TV series SpongeBob SquarePants. But the feed has also become a rallying point for opponents of Argentine President Javier Milei's moves to defund science as part of a broader push to slash government spending since taking office in December 2023. Argentina's scientific community has faced significant job losses and funding cuts as a result of the austerity measures, which protesters have decried as 'scienticide.' 'Long live our scientists,' Instagram user Susy Vega wrote in response to a video of expedition discoveries that highlight the richness of underwater life in the Argentine Sea. The 20-day survey, which continues through Sunday, marks the first time Argentine researchers have been able to see, in situ and in real time, seafloor ecosystems they've been studying for more than a decade. In 2012 and 2013, they conducted a series of scientific surveys of the region using low-tech tools such as fishing nets and trawls. This time around, stationed aboard the 362-foot floating scientific laboratory R/V Falkor (too), they're capturing high-quality images with a remote-operated robotic vehicle that observes marine life alive in its natural habitat. The ROV also collects specimens of water and sediments, as well as DNA evidence of ocean inhabitants left behind via shed skin and other genetic material that helps paint a picture of life more than 12,700 feet below the sea's surface. In addition to captivating social media, the expedition has been featured in Argentine news broadcasts on the pages of newspapers. The Talud Continental IV expedition is sponsored by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, a California-based nonprofit founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy to advance ocean discovery and conservation through technological innovation. Its R/V Falkor (too) vessel has eight labs, including a science seawater lab, a computer electronics lab and a robotics lab. It has 11 tons of sonars, plus 15 other acoustic sensors, and a special system for assessing microplastics in water. Support For Argentine Scientists Most of the Argentine scientists aboard the research vessel come from Conicet, Argentina's leading scientific funding and research body. An analysis released in November by the the Ibero-American Center for Research in Science, Technology, and Innovation, a group of university-affiliated researchers in Argentina, found that Conicet lost about 1,000 staff members, or 9% of its workforce, since Milei became president. Many livestream commenters have applauded Conicent for its work, and shared public messages of encouragement. 'Support Conicet and support Argentine science,' YouTube user Victoria Gallo wrote. Seizing on the surge of public appreciation of the agency, Conicet researchers have, according to Euronews, called for a 48-hour nationwide strike on Wednesday to call attention to their plight. It may be a livestream from the ocean floor, but it's making waves at the surface.
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Gizmodo
Solar-Powered Device Turns Moon Dirt Into Bricks, a Potential Breakthrough in Lunar Construction
Both the U.S. and China have set their sights on the Moon, aiming to break ground on permanent lunar bases within the next decade. Though there's no legal basis for claiming territory in space, whichever country gets there first will gain a coveted first-mover advantage, allowing it to set certain ground rules about who can do what, where. But getting there first is only half the battle. Actually establishing a sustained lunar presence presents significant logistical and engineering challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is figuring out how to efficiently and affordably transport building materials from Earth to construct a Moon base, but a team of scientists at China's Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL) in Hefei, Anhui Province, may have already solved that problem. In July, the researchers published test results for a prototype of a lunar regolith forming system in the journal Acta Astronautica. This 3D printer-like device makes strong construction bricks out of moondust, a.k.a. lunar regolith. Being able to produce building materials with resources readily available on the Moon would reduce the need for Earth-sourced materials, Yang Hoglun, a co-author and senior engineer at DSEL, told the Chinese state media agency Xinhua. 'This printing breakthrough has validated the feasibility of using lunar soil as the sole raw building material, enabling true in-situ resource utilization and eliminating the need to transport any additional materials from Earth,' Yang said. The system uses a parabolic mirror—a reflective dish—to gather solar radiation, focus it into a single point, then funnel it through bundles of fiber optic cables. At the focus point, light intensity exceeds 3,000 times the standard intensity of sunlight at Earth's surface, reaching temperatures over 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit (1,300 degrees Celsius), according to Moon Daily. This is generally hot enough to melt moondust. In a series of lab tests using artificial lunar regolith made from basalt and a xenon lamp to simulate sunlight, the prototype successfully melted the regolith and formed solid shapes, including lines, surfaces, bodies, and complex structures. Yang claims the prototype could manufacture materials to support construction of lunar roads, equipment platforms, and buildings to enable large-scale, sustainable lunar exploration and resource use. The success of this preliminary test marks a major step toward in-situ manufacturing of lunar construction materials, but there are limitations. Yang told Moon Daily that lunar soil bricks cannot sustain pressure in the Moon's vacuum and low-gravity environment. They could, however, act as protective layers over pressure-retaining habitat modules made of rigid and inflatable structures, Moon Daily reports. China was already making strides in this area before the DSEL researchers tested their lunar regolith forming system. In November 2024, the nation sent a cargo rocket carrying brick prototypes made from lunar regolith simulant to its Tiangong space station for testing in space conditions. The bricks will remain outside the space station for three years to test their durability in this harsh environment, according to Other countries, including the U.S., are also developing methods to use lunar regolith for construction, but China's progress within the last few years has been particularly significant. Indeed, the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has kept pace with—and even exceeded—certain aspects of NASA's Artemis program over the past several years. The U.S. is certainly feeling the pressure.
