Writer @NatGeo, author of SINKABLE and THE FOOD EXPLORER. I write about adventure, history, & science. Env sci prof at @JohnsHopkins. Husband, dad, dog dad.
Jun 22, 2023 • 13 tweets • 2 min read
To those wondering what a "catastrophic implosion" feels like, imagine a nuclear bomb exploding inward. Wanna know what that does to a body? 1/ thread
The people on board might have lasted 1 second, but not 2. Blunt force trauma from the sides of the sub collapsing might've killed a half second before, but if not, the 6,000 psi water pressure sandwiched them instantly from all sides.
Jun 21, 2023 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
To understand just how inhospitable the deep sea is for folks lost on the submersible, consider the story of the guy who holds the record for the deepest underwater dive ever. 1/ thread
A little background: The top 1000 feet of the ocean is known as the epipelagic zone, from Greek for "top of the ocean." It's home to almost all fish, kelp, reefs, and marine animals known to science.
Jun 21, 2023 • 13 tweets • 2 min read
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.
Jun 20, 2023 • 18 tweets • 4 min read
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.
Jun 20, 2023 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
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.
Jun 19, 2023 • 12 tweets • 2 min read
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.
