An Unidentified Benefactor Is Supporting the Venture to Establish aLong-term Underwater Human Habitation
In the not-so-distant past, an entrepreneur named Stockton Rush attracted fortune by submerging well-heeled clients in his "innovative" submarine. His company, Oceangate, thrived on luring wealthy patrons for voyages to the submerged Titanic's wreckage site. However, Rush's involvement with Oceangate came to an abrupt end when the submarine he traveled in with several paying customers imploded, potentially due to structural flaws in its hull. This unfortunate incident dampened public enthusiasm for deep-sea tourism, which was previously unfamiliar to most Americans.
Despite the Oceangate tragedy, private ventures in the underwater world continue to advance. One such project, called DEEP, aims to create a lasting underwater colony for scientific research and exploration. DEEP strives to distance itself from companies like Oceangate, which have been accused of dodging regulations and cutting corners to boost profits. Instead, DEEP is collaborating with an international accreditation agency, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), to ensure its submarines and underwater structures adhere to established safety regulations.
In an interview with The Guardian, DEEP's Chief Operating Officer Mike Shackleford, shared his ambitious vision – "The goal is to live in the ocean, forever. To have permanent human settlements in all oceans across the world." To achieve this objective, DEEP employs cutting-edge technology, including submarines and a network of underwater bases.
DEEP's website offers a relatively transparent account of its engineering processes and challenges, whilst its operations center is situated in the English county of Gloucestershire, near the Welsh border. Here, the company tests its submersible vehicles and develops its vision for underwater civilization. The site also hosts a training school, where scientists learn to adapt to life and work in subaquatic environments.
The Guardian reveals that DEEP's colossal undertaking is bankrolled by a secretive, well-heeled donor. This enigmatic benefactor has aspirations to invest hundreds of millions, if not billions, into the project that aims to increase our understanding of the ocean's pivotal role for humanity. However, the donor's identity remains a secret, shrouding the project in a cloak of mystery.
The Guardian visited DEEP's Gloucestershire base and reported on the unique sights and sounds of this location. An impressive mock-up structure, simulating DEEP's "sentinel" underwater base, was exhibited. The immense recreational area, a six-meter diameter hemisphere, encircled by porthole windows, promises an unforgettable immersion in the ocean's environment.
In recent years, the world's affluent individuals have been pouring their immense wealth into unorthodox initiatives, such as Elon Musk's Mars colonization ambitions and Mark Zuckerberg's digital realm project theoretically allowing purchases while wearing a peculiar headgear (the "metaverse"). Establishing a marine colony offers potential benefits far outweighing these previous endeavors but, as with any major project, safety and exploration must be the priority, not profit.
The future of underwater colonization is being pioneered by DEEP, a project backed by a mysterious benefactor with significant resources. Utilizing advanced tech and safety regulations, DEEP aims to create permanent human settlements across the world's oceans, reinforcing the notion that tech and technology play a pivotal role in shaping our future underwater exploration and habitats.