OCEAN EXPLORING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 25, Issue 3760, 25 May 1936, Page 3

OCEAN EXPLORING

NEW BATHYSPHERE

Russian scientists are shortly to descend deeper into the ocean depths than has hitherto been possible. A bathysphere, a huge armoured globe, is under construction, which it is believed will be able to carry its crew to a depth of 6,000 ft. The record for the world’s deepest dive is held by the American scientist, Dr William Beebe, who descended in a bathysphere to a depth of 3,000 feet. Electric Traps Profiting by his experiences, the Russians will equip their globe with searchlights capable of penetrating the pitch-dark ocean depths, electric traps to capture and bring to the surface specimens of the strange denizens of the floor of the sea, and special instruments for recording cosmic rays and other physical phenomena. Extraordinary precautions ire being taken to minimise the risk of the crew. A smaller bathysphere will first be lowered to a depth of 6,000 ft, and raised again. After the instruments contained in it have been inspected, the main bathysphere Will then be lowered without its crew. A further inspection of the instruments Will follow, and only after these tests have been passed satisfactorily Will men be allowed to go down. The first descent has been fixed provisionally for May 2.