Scientists Are Planning on Plunging Into the World’s ‘Portal to Hell’ – Popular Mechanics

Although blue holes can be found around the worldin fact, one of the largest blue holes ever discovered is in the South China Seathe Bahamas has the highest concentration of these geological wonders. While more than 200 of these blue holes can be found encircling the countrys largest island, Andros, the most perplexing of these holes is found southwest of Andros around Long Island.

Called Deans Blue Hole (named after a Bahamian fisherman), this impressive marine formation, located in a protected bay west of Clarence Town, is the third-deepest blue hole in the world, measuring at a staggering 663 feet deepmost blue holes are only half that deep. Because of its immense stature, free divers have broken world records in its waters and many local legends say its actually a portal to hell.

Although scientists have estimated its depth, no human has ever visited the bottom. OceanGate co-founder Guillermo Shnlein wants to change that. Although Shnlein founded OceanGate with Stockton Rush in 2009, he left the company in 2013a full decade before the OceanGate submersible implosion that claimed the lives of five people (including Rush) while exploring the wreckage of the Titanic. Now Shnlein helms another company, Blue Marble Exploration, which aims to explore some of the most unreachable parts of the world.

Of course, there are a few things that differentiate this mission from last years doomed implosion. For one, this blue hole isnt nearly as deep as the Titanic, which rests in the bathypelagic zone some 12,500 feet below the waters surface. However, exploring Deans Blue Hole comes with some additional challenges, as the team will likely encounter human remains during its exploration, as many divers have died in recent years exploring the site or attempting world records. In 2013, for example, American freediver Nicholas Mevoli died while attempting to set a world record at the Blue Hole.

According to the companys website, the team plans to conduct the first comprehensive scientific survey of the area using remotely operated vehicle technology, and Shnlein confirmed with The Independent that the expedition would only feature trained professionals and scientists, not tourists. Its not known when exactly this expedition will get underway.

While exploring the portal to hell is quite the adventure, it pales in comparison to some of Shnleins other lofty plans for exploration, including a 1,000-person expedition to start a colony in the atmosphere of Venus, which has also been described as a virtual hell.

Im sensing a theme here.

Darren lives in Portland, has a cat, and writes/edits about sci-fi and how our world works. You can find his previous stuff at Gizmodo and Paste if you look hard enough.

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Scientists Are Planning on Plunging Into the World's 'Portal to Hell' - Popular Mechanics