Conclusion: Shipwrecks in the 21st century
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| Author keywords |
deep-water exploration, environmental change, remotely operated vehicle, buried ship, telepresence, relevance |
| Abstract |
The 21st century is a time of rapid technological and societal change that has opened the deepest parts of the ocean to exploration, discovery, and interacting with shipwrecks. At the end of the first quarter of the new century, a “new” shipwreck find is made approximately every week, somewhere in the world. Long-standing mysteries are being solved as the high-resolution sonar mapping of the ocean floor continues. Technology has also opened the world of shipwrecks in the deep to a wider audience through telepresence and live-streamed missions of exploration, discovery, and science. At the same time, increased interest in buried and beached shipwrecks mean that the public can experience a shipwreck more closely, often in their own community. Making these finds accessible and relevant to the public, and not just to other scientists, is key as it is a universal, human history we are speaking of on this watery planet. |
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