Destroyed deep-sea exploration vehicle will not be replaced
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029436
Nature : The only vehicle that could reach the deepest parts of the ocean has been lost and will not be replaced. Nereus, a hybrid robotic submersible, was built by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Last year, however, it blew apart during a 10-km-deep expedition. Because of the high cost of replacing it, the WHOI says it will instead use the insurance money to fund several lower-risk projects. None will have the full capabilities of Nereus. Some will be able to go just as deep but will be unable to move around, and others will be able to move around but not go as deep. That will restrict exploration of the ocean floor, as data will not be able to be collected at multiple points along a path. At least two other full-depth vehicles are being built, one in the US and another in China.
