Future Timeline

As the Titanic decays, expedition will monitor deterioration

July 1, 2021 | 4:25pm | Updated

The Titanic is disappearing. The iconic ocean liner that was sunk by an iceberg is now slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria: holes pervade the wreckage, the crow’s nest is already gone and the railing of the ship’s iconic bow could collapse at any time.

Racing against the inevitable, an undersea exploration company’s expedition to the site of the wreckage could start this week, beginning what’s expected to be an annual chronicling of the ship’s deterioration. With the help of wealthy tourists, experts hope to learn more about the vessel as well as the underwater ecosystem that shipwrecks spawn.

“The ocean is taking this thing, and we need to document it before it all disappears or becomes unrecognizable,” Stockton Rush, president of OceanGate Expeditions, said Friday from a ship headed to the North Atlantic wreck site.

The 109-year-old ocean liner is being battered by deep-sea currents and bacteria that consumes hundreds of pounds of iron a day. Some have predicted the ship could vanish in a matter of decades as holes yawn in the hull and sections disintegrate.

Since the ship’s 1985 discovery, the 100-foot forward mast has collapsed. The crow’s nest from which a lookout shouted, “Iceberg, right ahead!” disappeared. And the poop deck, where passengers crowded as the ship sank, folded under itself.

Read more: https://nypost.com/2021/07/01/as-the-ti ... rioration/




This 2004 photo provided by the Institute for Exploration, Center for Archaeological Oceanography/University of Rhode Island/NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration, shows the remains of a coat and boots in the mud on the sea bed near the Titanic's stern. AP

wjfox wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 12:16 pm As the Titanic decays, expedition will monitor deterioration

July 1, 2021 | 4:25pm | Updated

The Titanic is disappearing. The iconic ocean liner that was sunk by an iceberg is now slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria: holes pervade the wreckage, the crow’s nest is already gone and the railing of the ship’s iconic bow could collapse at any time.

Racing against the inevitable, an undersea exploration company’s expedition to the site of the wreckage could start this week, beginning what’s expected to be an annual chronicling of the ship’s deterioration. With the help of wealthy tourists, experts hope to learn more about the vessel as well as the underwater ecosystem that shipwrecks spawn.

“The ocean is taking this thing, and we need to document it before it all disappears or becomes unrecognizable,” Stockton Rush, president of OceanGate Expeditions, said Friday from a ship headed to the North Atlantic wreck site.

The 109-year-old ocean liner is being battered by deep-sea currents and bacteria that consumes hundreds of pounds of iron a day. Some have predicted the ship could vanish in a matter of decades as holes yawn in the hull and sections disintegrate.

Since the ship’s 1985 discovery, the 100-foot forward mast has collapsed. The crow’s nest from which a lookout shouted, “Iceberg, right ahead!” disappeared. And the poop deck, where passengers crowded as the ship sank, folded under itself.

Read more: https://nypost.com/2021/07/01/as-the-ti ... rioration/



This 2004 photo provided by the Institute for Exploration, Center for Archaeological Oceanography/University of Rhode Island/NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration, shows the remains of a coat and boots in the mud on the sea bed near the Titanic's stern. AP

It's so sad to see a piece of memorable history getting eaten by bacteria since 1912.

I agree, this is very sad to watch. History just disappears before our eyes. It's good that now we can document it in color!

Stunning new images and video –

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65602182

Some rich guy should make a 1:1 replica of the Titanic. I bet Jeff Bezos could have done it for less money than he spent building her personal megayacht.

If you are like me more interested in the freshly completed RMS Titanic in all its glory, instead of looking at its wreck, then here's the Unreal Engine 5 demo for you: https://titanichg.com/project-401

It encompasses 50% of the entire ship. Below you can watch the 1st class space (18 minutes):



For a comparison, 67 years earlier this was the state of the art ocean going steamer (40 minutes):



Titanic could accommodate up to 833 people in the First Class, 614 in the Second Class and 1006 in the Third Class. I don't think that people today would be willing to pay money to have a Second or a Third Class experience. There is no necessity to do that and it wouldn't be fun. So replicating Titanic 100% accurately would create lots of space left unused in practice (unless if was heavily modified). It is possible to do of course, but is it a good idea? Titanic was state of the art in 1912, not in the 2020s (it is obviously less safe and more polluting than modern large ships).

People would have a better time booking a ticket for a modern cruise ship and looking (especially using VR goggles) at Unreal Engine 5 recreation of the old ocean liner in high resolution. Real money could be spent improving the lives of people living today. Some useful infrastructure for example. Would a permanently anchored Titanic replica pay for itself? I don't know. For me, high-resolution (especially 360°) videos or well-done virtual ship environments would be enough. With that, you don't have to fly all over the world to visit all the interesting ships out there. Although, I would do that if I had a lot of money.

I personally would prefer SS Republic, SS Britannic or SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse being fully rebuilt (or recreated in Unreal Engine 5).

Tadasuke wrote: ↑Thu May 18, 2023 5:27 pm Titanic could accommodate up to 833 people in the First Class, 614 in the Second Class and 1006 in the Third Class. I don't think that people today would be willing to pay money to have a Second or a Third Class experience. There is no necessity to do that and it wouldn't be fun. So replicating Titanic 100% accurately would create lots of space left unused in practice (unless if was heavily modified). It is possible to do of course, but is it a good idea? Titanic was state of the art in 1912, not in the 2020s (it is obviously less safe and more polluting than modern large ships).

For the glory of being able to say you were on the Titanic replica, passengers might be willing to pay for Second and Third Class rooms. However, given modern expectations, I think most of those big, shared bedrooms would be subdivided into smaller bedrooms meant for sole passengers and couples.

It would probably make sense to keep one steerage area exactly as it was, for passengers who wanted the authentic "poor immigrant" experience. There would be events there like the Irish music dance that Jack and Rose went to in the movie. I think you could find enough people who would pay to spend a few days living like that.

A Titanic replica could make money doing cruises and being open for paid tours while docked. Tons of people would also want to rent it for special events like weddings.

Here's some not well known truth about the Titanic:

My Dad's latest blog –


Were there any animals on board the Titanic when she sank?

May 31, 2023 · 7:35 PM

https://richardhfox.wordpress.com/2023/ ... -she-sank/