Virgin Oceanic

Five oceans. Five dives. One planet.

More men have walked on the surface of the moon than have explored the depths of our oceans. Virgin Oceanic is a project to measure the boundaries of the last frontier of our little blue planet here, the very bottom of the seas. The idea is to take a submersible to the deepest part in each of the world’s five oceans. Amazing.

Have to admit my admiration for Sir Richard Branson simply continues to grow. Much like Steve Jobs, I think he’s the CEO all of us want to be when we grow up.

Lots of artists’ conceptions for submersible and the accompanying catamaran. Seems like an incredible adventure and totally love the infographic below on just how low they intend to go. They’ve even partnered with Google on mapping technology to showcase the dives as they happen. So, besides just the sheer coolness of the adventure, the scientific value of the dives in pushing forward the frontiers or our understanding and science are incalculable.

It’s an ambitious, amazing adventure. Have to say, I’m excited by the idea and anxious to see it happen.

What if I were to tell you about a planet, inhabited by ‘intelligent’ beings > that had, in the 21st Century, physically explored 0% of its deepest points and mapped only 3% of its oceans by unmanned craft, when 70% of that planet’s surface was made up of water.  Then I tried to convince you that only 10% of the life forms inhabiting that unknown world, are known to those on the surface - you’d think I’d fallen asleep watching the latest sci-fi blockbuster!  Then you discover that planet is Earth…

• Sir Richard Branson

via BoingBoing.