This article reports on James Cameron's historic dive to the deepest point in the ocean, the Mariana Trench, in the Deepsea Challenger submersible. Cameron, a renowned film director, has a passion for deep-sea exploration and has spent seven years and millions of dollars on this project. The dive was nearly canceled after a tragic accident killed two of Cameron's team members, but he decided to proceed with the expedition. Cameron reached a depth of over 11 kilometers and spent time exploring the ocean floor, collecting samples and footage. The dive was a groundbreaking achievement, and Cameron became one of the few people to have reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench. The expedition has provided valuable insights into the extreme environment of the deep sea and has sparked new scientific discoveries.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. James Cameron explored the deepest point of the ocean, the Mariana Trench.
2. The Mariana Trench is located near the Philippines.
3. In 1960, a two-man submarine reached the bottom of the trench but couldn't collect samples or take photos.
4. James Cameron's dive to the Mariana Trench was over 11 kilometers deep.
5. The pressure at the bottom of the trench is about 16,000 pounds per square inch.
6. Cameron's sub, the Deep Sea Challenger, was built by Ron Allum, a television technician and extreme diving enthusiast.
7. The sub was made of super-light, crush-proof foam and had a small metal sphere for the pilot.
8. The sub was dragged down to the ocean floor by half a ton of weights.
9. Releasing the weights allowed the sub to return to the surface.
10. The expedition was nearly canceled after Cameron's original partner, Andrew White, and cameraman Mike deGruy were killed in a helicopter crash during final tests.
11. The sub was launched from a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Guam.
12. James Cameron spent 55 days on the expedition.
13. Cameron brought back a sample of mud from the Challenger Deep for research.
14. The discovery of bacteria in the mud sample was a significant scientific find.
15. James Cameron is a Canadian-born director who has directed blockbuster films like Titanic and Avatar.