Interviews: Ask Robert Ballard About Ocean Exploration

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday November 6, 2014 @04:47AM from the go-ahead-and-ask dept.

samzenpus writes A former Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, Robert Ballard is one of the most famous ocean explorers in the world. He is best known for his discoveries of hydrothermal vents, the Titanic, and the German battleship the Bismarck. Ballard is the "Explorer-in-Residence" for the National Geographic Society. He works extensively on exploration through telepresence capabilities and distance learning programs including the JASON Project, which reaches more than 1 million students. His latest work involves the Ocean Exploration Trust, the organization that manages his exploration ship the E/V Nautilus. The ship carries with it two ROVs named Hercules and Argus that explore the seafloor in real-time online. Dr. Ballard has just concluded the 2014 season and has agreed to answer your questions. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one per post.

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USS Scorpion? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-06 05:36 · Score: 5, Interesting

First off, I have to thank you for finding the Titanic about two months after I did a junior high school report on the Titanic. That just about blew my mind and helped encourage a fascination with science and technology that continues to this day.
My question though is about the USS Scorpion. As one of very few people who has seen the remains of the USS Scorpion, is there anything you can share about what might have caused her to sink?