Daniel Stone Profile picture
Jun 20 9 tweets 2 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
If you're watching the #Titanic story like the rest of the world, let me tell you some things about deep sea physics. 1/ thread
At sea level, the weight of all air, clouds, & moisture in the atmosphere exerts 14.7 pounds per square inch. That sounds like a decent weight but our bodies are used to it, which explains why bodies start to unravel in space where pressure is close to 0.
Pressure works on an arithmetic scale, increasing increasing with every 30 feet. In other words, at 30 feet deep, pressure is about 30 psi. At 60 feet it's 45 psi.
The Titanic is 12,500 feet deep, and has almost 6,000 psi. That's like balancing a fully loaded SUV on your pinky finger.
But interestingly, ocean pressure is globular, which means it doesn't just push down. It pushes in from all sides, including upward. Scientists in 1960s did pressure experiments by sinking styrofoam cups. When pulled up they shrunk by half.
The problem for humans is the oxygen, CO2, and nitrogen in our lungs and veins. Pressure collapses the gases, which is how humans die that deep.
On the surface, an adult pair of lungs are the size of two footballs. A hundred feet down they shrink to the size of two baseballs. Two hundred feet lower they’re barely the size of acorns. Descend twelve thousand more feet and the lungs would be congealed lifeless tissue.
Obviously humans CAN go 12,500 feet in submersibles, but it takes enormous energy. And any technological mishap is usually instant death.
It's possible the sub will be found and we'll hear the greatest survival story in human history (joining the top maritime tragedy story in human history). But most likely the life support systems either failed or are failing. Deep sea physics are not on the side.

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More from @DanEnRoute

Jun 21
One thing to keep in mind about the search for Titanic submarine is how difficult it is to *see* underwater. In fact it's impossible. Here's how you search instead. 1/ thread
Micro radio waves are used by satellites to make maps of land. The bounce down from space and then bounce back up. But those waves don't work in water. They don't bounce back.
So the only way 2 see underwater is actually to *hear* underwater. Sonar, in other words, that sends sounds down and documents their return. This is extremely time intensive and expensive, which explains why we have maps of Mars but not a full map of ocean floor.
Read 13 tweets
Jun 20
The top question I get after writing SINKABLE is why is the #Titanic so famous? I'll tell you why, and it's not the reasons you think. 1/ thread.
It's not the usual factors. Many ships had sunk on their maiden voyage before. Many ships had been called unsinkable before (esp when steel hulls replaced wood). Many ships sunk carrying rich or famous people before.
It's not the iceberg either. Icebergs had struck ships as long as there had been ships to strike. In fact icebergs were such a common problem in the North Atlantic in late 19th century that by 1912 the Revenue Cutter Service was relieved that iceberg strikes had declined.
Read 18 tweets
Jun 19
Something interesting about the lost submarine near the Titanic is the sheer quantity of tourism that's ballooned around the Titanic wreck since it was found in 1985, but especially in the past few years. 1/ thread
Titanic is one of the world's top brand names. It is always a top Google search term, always in the news, and subject to endless fascination around the world. It's especially popular in China.
For a long time after it sank, it was impossible to search for a wreck that deep (~2.5 miles) but after the Navy developed the tech in the 80s and gave it to Bob Ballard, it suddenly became possible.
Read 12 tweets

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