On this day in history...
...in 1960, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh made history by becoming the first humans to descend to the bottom of the Mariana Trench aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste. They reached the Challenger Deep, the deepest known point in the Earth's oceans, at a depth of approximately 10,911 meters (35,797 feet).
This groundbreaking achievement marked humanity's first direct exploration of the ocean's greatest depths. Despite the immense pressure, they observed signs of life, including a flatfish-like organism, challenging prior assumptions that life could not exist in such extreme conditions.
Since then, other expeditions, including modern submersibles like James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger in 2012, have followed in their footsteps. However, the Trieste’s descent remains a pioneering milestone in physical oceanography and deep-sea exploration, showcasing the innovative spirit that continues to drive our understanding of the abyssal environment.
Picture retrieved from NH 96801 U.S. Navy Bathyscaphe Trieste (1958-1963), Art collection, U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command website. Released by the U.S. Navy Electronics Laboratory, San Diego, California.
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