This is an image of the Alvin being recovered by divers.
Click on image for full size
Image from: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, photo by Rod Castiac
The Alvin
Deep sea trenches are just that - really deep! They can be over 6 miles below the ocean surface! Humans certainly can't swim there (not even with lots of
scuba gear on!), so they have to travel there in a submersible.
One submersible is named the Alvin. It was designed by scientists to explore the ocean floor and the deep sea trenches. Between 1964 and 1999, the Alvin made 3,535 dives. 10,540 people have been aboard the Alvin. The Alvin helps scientists do underwater research. It also helps search for sunken vessels and sunken treasure!
Research vessels like the Alvin allow humans to find such creatures as tube worms which live along the ocean floor. The next image shows a view of the Alvin underwater.
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