Expedition Update: Farallon Islands

On October 22-25, 2016, a partnership between OceanGate Foundation and NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries mounted an exciting expedition to explore the depths around the Farallon Islands, 30 miles offshore from San Francisco.

The expedition chartered the Cyclops 1 submersible to take 5 crew to explore 3 target sites: the Ituna shipwreck and two local seamounts.

After 2 days of diving in the sanctuary, inclement weather and unkind seas forced the expedition inland, and the team spent 2 days diving in the San Francisco Bay, exploring the depths around the iconic Alcatraz Island. BME co-founder Guillermo Söhnlein joined the OceanGate crew for an amazing experience diving beneath one of America's most popular waterways.

(Photos courtesy of NOAA, OceanGate, and BME.)

Exploring Volcanoes to Save Lives

Last month BME's co-founder and Chief Explorer, Scott Parazynski, participated in an incredible expedition led by Sam Cossman of Qwake. The team went where no human being had ever gone before--into the mouth of an active volcano--to deploy innovative technology that could provide an early-warning system for millions of people.

Sponsored by General Electric, the expedition focused on the Masaya volcano in Nicaragua. The team consisted of explorers, scientists, filmmakers, and riggers, who ensured everyone's safety while lowering them into the volcano.

Over the course of several weeks, the team made several descents to "Level 0", just above the molten lava, to deploy a network of sensors that will "connect" the volcano for scientists to study and evaluate. Once activated, the network will help provide advance notice of potential eruptions to the millions of Nicaraguans who live near the volcano.

The Qwake team is currently working on a documentary to showcase their work at the volcano, so stay tuned for exciting footage coming out soon!

[All photos courtesy of Qwake]

Exploring the World with Luminox

We are truly excited to welcome Luminox as the official watch of our Plunge Into The Abyss expedition!

From the first time we dove in a deep submersible beyond depths where sunlight could penetrate, we knew that we would have to find a watch that could operate in those rigorous conditions. After all, precise timing of underwater operations can mean the difference between life and death, but in the darkness of the deep ocean we needed to preserve our night vision. We experimented with several different time-keeping devices before our friend and fellow explorer Scott Cassell introduced us to Luminox in 2010. One dive wearing a Luminox watch, and we were hooked!

Luminox combines the best of two worlds: traditional Swiss watch-making craftsmanship and practical operational excellence for field work in extreme environments. Their “Always On” self-powered illumination system makes watches more visible and easier to read in low or no light situations. This is perfect for military and law enforcement uses. Of course, it also makes their watches “Essential Gear” for exploring extreme environments … like the oceans and space.

We greatly appreciate the support that the entire Luminox team has shown us in the past, and we look forward to working with them on many expeditions!

Hoist the jib, shake a reef!Expedition Planning Under Sail

Staysails and luffing. Close hauled and in irons. Maydays and Securites. All terms you’re likely to never hear unless you’re joining the crew of a sailboat.

Last month, I joined a motley group of students, professionals and educators for a week on Pangaea Exploration’s Sea Dragon for an Exploration Science program in the Cayman Islands. From hoisting the main halyard to kite mapping, lectures and field trips were designed to teach skills necessary for modern-day explorers and expedition leaders. Hoist and map we did, with the vim and vigor of the saltiest sailors.

As with the best experiential education courses, our first-hand experiences carried as much weight as formal programming. In addition to learning coral reef survey methods and testing dozens of exploration-relevant apps, a few lessons are sure to stick with me for future expedition planning:

1. Crowdsource for fundraising, not course-setting

After learning the ins and outs of maritime navigation, we were asked to plot a course from Grand Cayman to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac…and plan every hour of that journey. Trying to plan every hour of a trip for myself is a challenge, but planning with thirteen people with unique interests and desires may result in abandoning ship. After this exercise, our captain revealed that normally the permanent crew and a group leader set the course in order to streamline planning and minimize conflict.

2. Best laid plans of mice and men

Even once our itinerary was meticulously outlined, the captain cautioned us to allow extra time for navigating customs, foul weather, and other unforeseen obstacles. He may have jinxed us. Though we planned to go ashore and explore each island, weak moorings and increasing swell caused us to pinball between the islands, eventually abandoning our plans and returning to Grand Cayman. On the other hand, we unexpectedly happened to moor on two shipwrecks and enjoyed some marvelous unplanned snorkeling! Flexibility is the name of the game for expeditions with a range of goals and participants.

3. The scouts are right: Be prepared for anything

After a formal session on provisioning and being left to our own devices for meal planning by the second day of our trip, learning to plan ahead became necessary. In case of unplanned delays, carrying enough provisions for twice the length of an intended trip is recommended. On the food front, we turned out some exceptionally gourmet meals, even once food came more from cans and boxes than the fridge. Having extra gear became equally apparent following the theft of a snorkel and mask by Poseidon. In case of loss or breakage, having extras of anything that would cause you injury or inconvenience is a must.

After a week of learning how to run an expedition, the most important lesson became apparent: to jump at any chance to join an expedition on a sailboat in the Caribbean Sea!

Photo credits (in order): Ian Tomcho, Dr. Keene Haywood, Samantha Wishnak

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Contributed by Samantha Wishnak Education and Outreach Coordinator Blue Marble Exploration Monterey, CA, USA

Expedition Photography:Recording the Journey

Storytelling and the ability to share one’s expeditions and discoveries are key elements to exploration. During the expeditions of early explorers, like Columbus and James Cook, paintings and drawings captured moments of discovery and hardships. An expedition artist was always brought along to document the journey. Once photography was invented, expedition photographers were brought to photograph these moments of discovery along with the daily life during the journey.


When I think of the seminal work of an expedition photographer, I recall Frank Hurley’s images from Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition in 1914. Through his images, one can get a sense of the desolation of being trapped in the ice and feel the cramped living quarters of the ship during the day-to-day operation. Once trapped in the ice, the images become more compelling as he continued to photograph the ship being crushed by the ice and life on the ice once the ship went down. These images bring the story to life and allow for a deeper connection than words alone. Photographs, like the early paintings, capture the intangible while bringing you into the moment.


Photography has come a long way and is now accessible to everyone and, for that reason, plays an even more important role in our expeditions and storytelling. As an explorer and expedition photographer, I am acutely aware that followers of my expeditions expect to see compelling images.

We now have the ability to bring people sitting on their couches along on the journey in real time. Through blogging and social media, viewers can experience expeditions in the most remote corners of the world through both still images and video, getting a sense of place as exploration happens. Because of this technology, we end up with an unedited version that captures moments and raw emotions rather than, as the explorer and photographer, we remember it once we are home. I think this is extremely powerful.


As a photographer, my camera is always with me on an expedition to catch that unexpected moment, but also to capture the everyday. Moments from an icicle hanging from a ship railing, to the first glimpse of sea ice when steaming north in the Arctic Ocean, or the science being conducted on board. All are documented in an effort to record the journey and share these precious moments from remote corners of the world.

More of Gaelin's photography may be found at Global Ocean Exploration's website, and follow along with her expeditions on Twitter @GaelinGOExplore!

Photo credits: Gaelin Rosenwaks' Arctic acidification expedition (all color photos), Frank Hurley's Antarctic expedition (black and white photos)

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Contributed by Gaelin Rosenwaks Founder/CEO Global Ocean Exploration New York, NY USA

Exploration Live!From the Deep Sea to Outer Space

Want to explore the depths of the ocean or the far reaches of the universe without leaving home? Researchers and explorers are increasingly offering ways to join their expeditions around the world in real time, no matter your location.

Thanks to video streaming from robots and submersibles and live videoconferencing with astronauts and aquanauts, all you need is an internet connection to experience first-hand the thrill of discovery!

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NAUTILUS LIVE

With a mission to bring the deep sea into homes and classrooms around the world, the Ocean Exploration Trust operates the E/V Nautilus in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Led by founder Dr. Robert Ballard, a rotating team of scientists guides expeditions from onboard the ship and through “telepresence,” allowing for researchers to collaborate from afar.

Video captured by ROVs streams to the Inner Space Center at the University of Rhode Island where it is examined and simultaneously broadcast live to the public. This month, the Nautilus is exploring seafloor ecosystems with active seismic and volcanic activity near the West Indies.

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NOAA OKEANOS EXPLORER

It may come as a surprise that some of this summer’s most popular reality television was streamed live…from the deep! The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made a media splash with their expedition on the Okeanos Explorer off the coast of the Northeastern US, hooking tens of thousands of viewers.

With daily coverage and live analysis by biologists, geologists and oceanographers likened to sports commentary, NOAA succeeds in getting a whole new audience excited about their daily deep sea squid sightings.

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SLOOH SPACE CAMERA

Connecting land-based observatories to the internet, Slooh offers live broadcasts of events in space including spacecraft transits and asteroid and comet sightings. In 2011, Slooh’s footage of the total lunar eclipse was streamed live through Google, reaching billions of viewers, and this week streamed the fly-by of NASA’s Juno spacecraft on the way to Jupiter.

Making outer space even more accessible, Slooh engages a citizen scientist network to crowd-source broadcasts and recently released an iPad app allowing anyone to capture photos remotely using their observatory’s telescopes!

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NASA

NASA has also engaged a wider audience through live-streaming events from the International Space Station. Astronauts host Google+ Hangouts, fielding questions from viewers around the world, and even teach mini lessons about gravity and physics from the ISS.

On Earth, NASA recently partnered with privately funded Orbital Sciences to live broadcast their Cygnus rocket launch, carrying supplies to the ISS.

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With less than 5% of our world’s oceans explored and a whole universe outside of our planet, human exploration is at an exciting peak. Now, live streaming expeditions and events help make otherworldly landscapes accessible to anyone with an internet connection!

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Contributed by Samantha Wishnak Education and Outreach Coordinator Blue Marble Exploration Brooklyn, NY, USA

Researching, Filmmaking, Exploring? There's a Sub for That!

In a vast ocean, the number of manned vehicles operating beneath the surface is very limited. Through my most recent expeditions funded by a National Geographic Young Explorer grant, I’ve learned that differences between subs allow each to serve as an ideal platform for research, exploration or filmmaking. These submersibles must conform to rigorous standards if they are to hold up against the varying temperatures and harsh pressures of the sea. Though all subs share the same few critical components including a pressure sphere (the cabin), life support systems, lights, and thrusters, each sub has unique characteristics and individualized operations. In a world of salt water, this keeps things fresh. Researching, filmmaking or collecting samples? There's a submersible for that!

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Antipodes -- Seattle, Washington, USA

In a five-person sub smaller than a minivan, you might not expect any more legroom than an airplane, but the submersible Antipodes is surprisingly spacious. This 305 meter-capable sub, operated by OceanGate, Inc, shares the same critical specifications as similar vessels, but has something no other sub can boast: twin hemispherical domes. When you are submerged for many hours, they serve two valuable purposes: visibility and comfort.

Crewmembers sit on opposing benches deep in the domes, surrounded on three sides by the ocean. Only an IMAX experience evokes a similar sensation of total immersion. Whether flying over a sweeping landscape or in close quarters with a shipwreck, the pilot can simply rotate the sub to achieve a better view. Antipodes is by far the most comfortable sub I have been in, with plenty of overhead space and legroom, allowing more researchers, cameras and crew to collaborate on a dive.

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CuraSub -- Curacao, The Caribbean

While similarly allowing five people to dive to the deep, CuraSub differs in operations and onboard science equipment. A custom-built private marina houses the sub, its support boat, and workshop, and makes diving almost as efficient as going for a swim. The insightful designer of SubStation Curacao developed a floating dock that hugs the sub and not only allows for the easy transfer of crew, but also has an extra safety net built in. Below the surface, a platform underneath the sub ensures that if any water were to accidentally splash into the sub, the sub would still be supported from below and would remain safe and sound on the surface.

While the efficiency of dives is one clear benefit, the science equipment the CuraSub carries makes it a workhorse for underwater research. As a research platform, the sub is outfitted with two manipulator arms and various external cameras. One of the manipulators doubles as a fish sampling device complete with a water-soluble fish anesthetic to collect animals without harming them. Though CuraSub is typically operated from one location, the local area is so vast there is a continuous stream of both geological and biological discoveries.

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Idabel -- Roatan, Honduras

Outside the realm of traditional subs is the painstakingly homebuilt submersible Idabel. My dive in Idabel took me deeper than I’d ever been before, to the bathyal zone. Far below the photic zone where sunlight hits, the bathyal zone ranges from about 500 meters to 6000 meters and is home to creatures that never ascend into the daylight. Many of these creatures are wildly abundant, but they are so unfamiliar to our terrestrial lives that they become fascinating and bizarre. The biology of the deep ocean is one of the most glamorous and exciting worlds and Idabel is particularly suited to facilitating high quality photography and filming of deep sea organisms. The front of the sub even has protective bumpers, allowing the pilot to press right up against a rock wall and pick up a sample or go for a close-up with a camera illuminated by the many lights installed on the sub.

The rarity of diving this deep, and knowing I was still scratching the surface of the ocean, made Idabel my most extraordinary dive so far. I always knew I wanted to go into the deep ocean, but I never realized how dramatically it would change my goals for diving in the extraordinary world below us. Idabel can reach the black and quiet world of the deep sea, Antipodes is the perfect platform for underwater collaboration between many dive participants and CuraSub is outfitted for the safe and efficient collection of samples and data. With every dive on a submersible, you know you’ll be getting a million-dollar view, but it’s the differences between subs that make them uniquely valuable.

Photo credits: Barry Brown (First photo), OceanGate,Inc. (Antipodes photo), Erika Bergman (all other photos)

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Contributed by Erika Bergman Emerging Explorer Blue Marble Exploration Seattle, WA USA

Summer of Shark Tagging:Field Notes from a Student Explorer

A normal week of the “Natural History of Sharks and Rays” class I took this summer at the University of Hawai'i-Hilo consisted of reading five scientific articles, a dissection in lab, and Friday nights out in the field tagging sharks. Those Friday nights were probably the most fun and rewarding I have had in school. We would spend a good four to five--and on one night even seven--hours baiting and tagging sharks in Hilo Bay.

We operated off two boats, the first being an 18-foot Larson fishing boat (the “base”) and the other a smaller 15-foot rigid inflatable (the tender). We measured the length, took a tissue sample, and tagged the sharks and rays on the inflatable as it is easier to manage and still keep the sharks in the water during the procedures. On a slow night we only had one juvenile oceanic blacktip shark, while on our busiest night we couldn’t check the lines fast enough!

Three of our catches stick out in my memory.

The first was the brown stingray that was about the size, if not larger, than a dining table! I have never seen a wild stingray that large, but she was a beauty!

The second catch I remember was the female sandbar shark that bit the boat. Just as we had her all calmed down (or so we thought) and ready to measure her length, she turned and bit the boat. When a shark bites an inflatable boat you can’t just yank it off unless you want to lose a chunk of the vessel. All you can do is wait until it decides to let go. After a few tense few minutes of listening to the air seep out, she tried to reposition her hold, and we were able to keep her from latching on again. Once the whole class stopped laughing at the ridiculousness of the whole thing, some duct tape was found and a basic patch was made.

My third memorable moment was one of our last outings. I was helping set the trotline out, when I felt a tug ... small, but definitely something there. My professor was skeptical, since the line wasn’t completely out and I was claiming we had a shark on the line. What felt like minutes ticked by as I pulled the line in. I was starting to second-guess myself, when I felt a definite tug and saw a small wriggling body slowly making its way to the surface. Circling just below the surface was the smallest baby oceanic blacktip I had ever seen. He was so young that the umbilical scar was still open! He was a little fighter, too. Instead of bringing him back to the rest of the class waiting on the Larson, we decided the less traumatic procedure would be to just work on him right there. One, two, three, and he was off, swimming away enthusiastically. We reset the line and made our way back to the rest of the class, still beaming from our encounter with the little guy we just released.

The sharks and rays class was the most reading-, studying-, and writing-intensive class I have ever taken, but also the most rewarding. For six weeks I was able to work with sharks, up close and personal. I learned more than I could have ever imagined, and I want to learn more. My "Summer of the Shark" was a memorable one for sure!

Follow Rebecca's adventures on Twitter @BectheDiver or visit her website!

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Contributed by Rebecca Ziegler Student Explorer Blue Marble Exploration Hilo, HI USA

Explorer-In-Residence: Scott Parazynski

Astronaut.
Physician.
Mountaineer.
Pilot.
Diver.

All of these titles apply to Scott Parazynski. As a Blue Marble Exploration Explorer-in-Residence, Scott keeps us thinking about the diverse challenges humans face in exploring extreme environments.

Over his 17-year career as a NASA Astronaut, Scott completed 5 Space Shuttle Missions and conducted 7 spacewalks. Mission highlights included participating in the first US-Russian spacewalk and serving as Senator John Glenn’s crewmate and personal physician. During Scott’s last mission in 2007, he ventured farther from the airlock than any other astronaut to perform a risky repair, a challenging spacewalk that was likened to an “Apollo 13 moment.”

In addition to exploring the extreme limits of space, Scott is an accomplished mountaineer, summiting Mt. Everest in 2009, as well as a lifelong SCUBA diver, conducting a NASA-sponsored expedition to the world’s highest lake in the Andes in 2005. With academic training at Stanford and Harvard, Scott’s expertise- perhaps unsurprisingly- focuses on human performance in stressful environments. Currently, Scott serves as Chief Medical Officer and Director of University of Texas Medical Branch Health Center for Polar Medical Operations focused on the US Antarctic Program, and as Chairman of the Board of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education.

Follow Scott's expeditions on Twitter @AstroDocScott or visit his website!


Getting to Know Scott Parazynski

1. Why do you explore? How are you continually inspired to explore?
   
   As the son of a rocket scientist – my Dad helped design the Saturn V boosters that first took men to the moon in the late 60’s and early 70’s – I was fascinated by everything to do with exploration as a kid. All the books I read had something to do with pressing the boundaries of human experience, from Lewis and Clark to Cousteau, Sir Roger Bannister to Yuri Gagarin, Mallory and Irvine to John Glenn and the Mercury 7. I wanted to be the first man to set bootprints down on Mars, and was bound and determined to make it come true.
   
   Although the space program took some different paths in the subsequent years and I didn’t get a chance to visit the Red Planet, I certainly have no regrets at the way things transpired! There’s so much more to discover, on, over and under our planet’s surface – and even within the human body itself.


2. Is there one expedition in the past or future that you consider to be the culmination of your career?
   
   My best day on the job – ever – was supporting the repair of a live solar array during Space Shuttle mission STS-120, while docked to the International Space Station. It’s a lengthy but exciting story to tell some other time, but being a part of a team that took on such a difficult task and succeeded, it just doesn’t get any better than that.
   
   In terms of future goals, I’d certainly love to visit Challenger Deep in the Marianas Trench, the deepest part of our oceans. The technical and operational challenge of getting there is enormous. While 12 men walked on the moon, only two expeditions have successfully visited, and we have so much more to learn about our own oceans as we develop the technologies to repeatedly visit and characterize our uncharted ocean depths.


3. Most people think explorers are daredevils and risk-takers- how do you perceive risk?
   
   I approach risk with great respect. Although many would look at my life’s endeavors and conclude I’m a daredevil of sorts, nothing could be further from the truth. I recognize and prepare for risk in earnest. I do my best to understand the environment I’ll be working in, the technology I’ll need to rely upon, and then mentally and physically prepare myself to handle whatever might possibly go wrong when there. There’s an old adage that there are bold pilots and old pilots, but no old, bold pilots. The same can be said for astronauts, mountaineers and other high risk pursuits. Those with longevity probably took similar approaches, else were extremely lucky!


4. What are the greatest personal or professional challenges you face as an explorer?
   
   I’m naturally inquisitive and creative, and seek challenge in new and exciting environments like those found in space travel, the high mountains, the polar regions, in exotic lands and deep beneath our oceans. The greatest challenges are sometimes calming the nerves of one’s family and friends when heading off to the next big adventure…


5. Do you have one piece of advice for anyone of any age who dreams of exploring space or land or sea?
   
   Read all you can about those that came before you, and then set out on your own path. I’d certainly avoid the naysayers who’d imply that the path is too tough, or that there’s nothing left to explore or discover. Those without vision will hold you back, and they are just plain wrong… Finally, don’t get overly fixated on the summit, whether that summit is a true summit or just a lofty goal of yours, instead focusing on a series of steps that will eventually lead you to where you want to go. Any lofty goal can be intimidating and daunting when you first set out, but taking it one day at a time, one figurative rope length at a time, even a footstep at a time, makes it possible to achieve with tenacity and preparation.

Emerging Explorer: Erika Bergman

As a lifelong storyteller turned manned submersible pilot, Erika Bergman is inspiring a new generation of ocean explorers as a Blue Marble Exploration Emerging Explorer.

After studying chemical oceanography at the University of Washington, Erika worked as a diesel engineer aboard the tall ship S/V Lady Washington and as a steam ship engineer aboard the S/S Virginia V. Most recently, as a submersible pilot and engineer, Erika completed exploration, research and filmmaking sub dives in Washington, California, and Florida with OceanGate and ExploreOcean. An avid SCUBA and free diver, she spends most of her time underwater working with tools or behind the lens of her video camera.

Earlier this year, Erika was named a National Geographic Young Explorer and is thrilled to share manned submersible dives and discoveries with educators and students. Erika hopes to inspire enthusiasm for ocean awareness using direct observation and storytelling to make ocean concepts more familiar for a global audience.


Follow Erika's Expeditions

This week, August 19-25, Erika is embarking on her first expedition funded by a National Geographic Young Explorer grant, sponsored by Blue Marble Exploration. The first of two expeditions to explore deep reef corals in the Caribbean Sea, Erika will be diving along the southwestern shore of Curacao in the Curasub manned submersible.

Bringing the deep sea to the classroom, Erika will be hosting live Google+ Hangouts with educators and students and answering questions on Twitter @erika_bergman.

Expedition updates will also be posted to her blog, Deep Blue From Below and National Geographic's Explorer's Journal. Follow along as Erika explores the deep reefs of Curacao!

Dean's Blue Hole

Earlier this month, we took a short trip to Long Island in the Bahamas, so that we could spend some time at Dean's Blue Hole, the deepest seawater blue hole in the world. It is a truly amazing place.

Easily accessed from its white sandy beaches, its black bottom remains one of the most unexplored places on Earth.

We are currently working on a project that will take us there again later this year. As a preview, please enjoy this short time-lapse.

Why Extreme Environments?

Since Blue Marble Exploration focuses exclusively on "extreme environments", we are often asked "why?".

There are many answers, but the bottom line is that putting humans in environments that are hostile to our very existence forces us to solve immensely complex problems. In order to accomplish our exploration objectives for each mission, we have to push the limits of technology, science, and human endurance. This in turn promotes innovation and creativity, which help us move humanity forward.

These types of expeditions also have a unique capacity to inspire millions of people around the world. They have a special combination of powerful visuals and dramatic storylines that capture imaginations across cultures, languages, and generations. This can be used to promote education, innovation, and conservation, as well as collaboration among countries, industries, and organizations.

Within the past 12 months, we have been fortunate to witness three very different expeditions to extreme environments. Below (in chronological order) is a brief summary of each one and some of its major contributions.

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OCEANS - DeepSea Challenge [March 2012]

On March 26, 2012, James Cameron broke the world solo dive record by becoming only the third person ever to see the deepest point in the ocean. Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, plunges to nearly 11,000 meters (~37,000 feet), which is much deeper than Mt. Everest is tall. Prior to Cameron's dive, the only humans to ever successfully complete this dive were Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh, who made the trip in the U.S. Navy-sponsored bathyscaphe Trieste on January 23, 1960.

In order to accomplish his mission objectives, Cameron had to develop a whole slate of new technologies, including his submersible, DeepSea Challenger. Besides his core team, the project relied on a diverse international group of small industry specialists, large corporate partners, and university departments. The expedition will be the subject of a documentary and a 3D film.

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ALTITUDE - Red Bull Stratos [October 2012]

On October 14, 2012, Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner broke several world records, including the highest altitude jump (39 km / 24 mi) and the fastest freefall (1357 kmh / 844 mph). He also became the first human to break the sound barrier without a vehicle. Several of these records were previously held by Joe Kittinger, who made his jump on August 16, 1960, as part of experiments conducted by the U.S. Air Force. He worked as an advisor and Capsule Communicator for Red Bull Stratos, watching Baumgartner break all but one of his records (longest freefall of 4 minutes 36 seconds).

[Even though it was dubbed "Mission to the Edge of Space", Baumgartner never even came close to approaching the internationally accepted boundary of 100 km (62 mi).]

To successfully complete the mission, Baumgartner's international team had to develop multiple new technologies, including the suit, helmet, capsule, balloon, parachute, and life support systems. Because of the extreme pressures on his body, the medical team collected immensely valuable physiological data.

Perhaps the greatest impact was on mass media. The project was sponsored by Red Bull, which not only provided financing but also used its marketing muscle to make the skydive one of the most popular current events in recent history. The jump's YouTube livestream drew a record 8 million concurrent views across 56 countries, and its Facebook posts reached over 50 million users. The resulting [inaccurately named] documentary, Space Dive, was produced by the BBC in partnership with National Geographic and Red Bull Media House.

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POLAR - The Coldest Journey [March 2013]

This is an ongoing expedition to make the first crossing of Antarctica during the winter. Starting in March 2013, the 3,200 km (2,000 mi) traverse will take six months and will be done mostly in complete darkness and in temperatures as low as -90C (-130F). This project has been led for the five years of planning and preparation by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, one of the world's greatest explorers. Unfortunately, he developed a severe case of frostbite during the preposition phase, and on February 25, 2013, he announced that he would be leaving the expedition team. The remaining 5 members are set to continue the expedition without him, expecting to complete their journey in September 2013.

For this expedition, the team is relying on technological advances in land transportation, fuel, clothing, and communications. In addition to accomplishing its mission objectives, the project hopes to raise US$10 million for its partner charity, Seeing is Believing.

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