Plastic Bubble Subs Grant Humans Access to the Deep Sea
As we continue exploring space, there’s a large subset of researchers and investors that are working their way into the depths of our oceans—of which we have discovered 5%. Most of those scientists are using technology that originated in the ’80s: bubble crafts. But clever, contemporary upgrades are making these spherical vessels more efficient than ever. These days, the vessels cost between $2 million to $5 million, can plunge 7,500 feet underwater, and can carry up to seven passengers. Their 12-inch-thick walls are usually translucent all over so researchers, photographers, and biologists can peer out into the dark depths. As interest in this sort of excursion grows, ambitious investors are working to develop glass iterations that could venture even further, with some aiming for 36,960 feet. Read more at The New York Times.
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