The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean
The Most Exclusive Club in the World
Oct 3, 2023
Explore the challenges of reaching extreme ocean depths, the design of deep sea submersibles, and the dive towards the lowest point on Earth in this fascinating podcast. Discover the exclusive club of Challenger Deep explorers and the limited knowledge we have of the ocean floor.
23:34
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Quick takeaways
- The Picards' dive to Challenger Deep shattered the belief that life couldn't exist at extreme ocean depths, highlighting the importance of direct investigation in scientific discovery.
- The Trieste submersible overcame numerous challenges during the dive, showcasing the determination and resilience of deep-sea explorers.
Deep dives
The Design and Challenges of Submersibles
The episode explores the design challenges faced by August and Jacques Picard in creating the Trieste submersible. They adapted their knowledge of balloons for underwater vehicles, controlling buoyancy using a tank of gasoline. The pressure at ocean depths can reach 16,000 pounds per square inch, necessitating a thick sphere cockpit. The Trieste, with a 50-foot-long gasoline tank and a steel-walled cockpit, allowed August and Jacques to set deep-sea diving records, including reaching the Challenger Deep, the lowest point on Earth.
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