Is it possible to bring the titanic up

Others were totally ridiculous, like filling Titanic with ping-pong balls, attaching helium-filled balloons to the hull, and freezing the ship like an ice cube until the wreck would float. The recovery team also brought back some 5, artifacts including jewelry, toys, dishes, and pieces of equipment used on the ship.

So far, salvaging expeditions haven't been able to bring back anything bigger than the hull slab that is part of a major Titanic exhibit at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Oceanographers have pointed out that the hostile sea environment has wreaked havoc on the ship's remains after more than a century beneath the surface. Saltwater acidity has been dissolving the vessel, compromising its integrity to the point where much of it would crumble if tampered with.

Microbes responsible for the rusty stalactite growths on much of the hull and particularly visible on the deck railings have also eaten away at the ship, further weakening the structure.

The ship's interior is just as bad, with decks collapsing on every level of the ship. Passageways once accessible to robotic mini-subs have since broken down and cabin compartments have all but deteriorated over time. It gets worse. In , scientists discovered an organism called extremophile bacteria that's been more aggressive in destroying what's left of Titanic, leading some to conclude that the entire ship will be dissolved by With salvage out of the question, other concerns have been raised about what to do with parts of the vessel that can still be recovered.

Preservationists argue that the gradual decomposition of the vessel makes it more vital to retain objects associated with a popular and tragic chapter of human history. Naysayers argue that the Las Vegas exhibit is proof that any further reclamation attempts are little more than cash grabs.

Renata Rojas paddled behind her father through the water off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico. She was only five years old; never before had she been allowed out this far. Now, as she glided across the waves, her father stopped her and told her to look down to the sea floor.

There, illuminated by the sunlight, was a sunken plane. She breathed through her snorkel as she studied its wings resting on the white sand. It was in this moment that she discovered an eternal love for the ocean. In , following a lifetime of scuba training and saving money, Rojas is scheduled to fulfil her grandest dream: visiting the wreck of the RMS Titanic.

This is a dream that has become increasingly urgent over the years. Rust-forming bacteria are rapidly consuming the Titanic. Experts predict it will last only a little more than 20 years. And while the expedition is a commercial venture, it is a scientific one too: the group will use advanced 3D-modelling tools to analyse and preserve the memory of the Titanic for generations to come. The Titanic struck an iceberg on 14 April as it steamed across the Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.

It split in two and sank to a depth of 3. At least 1, people died. Engulfed by deep-sea darkness, the wreck sat for more than 70 years while bacteria ate away at its metal hull, leaving behind millions of delicate, icicle-shaped formations. The acidic, oxidised fluid oozes downward with gravity, forming fragile branches of rust. When Robert Ballard's expedition visited the wreck site in , the Titanic had been under water for near 75 years Credit: Getty Images.

By the time explorer Robert Ballard and his team discovered the ship in , the rusticles had already taken over. Because they eat about kg lbs a day, scientists have given the ship a waning life expectancy. According to her research, Titanic might be a recognisable shipwreck for just 20 to 50 more years.

As the clock ticks down, the window of opportunity to visit the Titanic, for scientific purposes or otherwise, is quickly vanishing. One new opportunity is with OceanGate , a private company that uses its small fleet of manned submersibles to explore, research and catalogue the oceans surrounding North America. OceanGate has undertaken 13 expeditions since its founding in , including surveys of other shipwrecks like the Andrea Doria near Nantucket and the SS Dix in Puget Sound.

Most importantly, they will be able to join at least one submersible dive to the Titanic. Down below, while crammed together inside the newly-updated Titan submersible, mission specialists will aid the crew in using sophisticated lasers, sonars and imaging technology to composite the most detailed and accurate 3D model of the ship in history.

At first, the idea of non-professionals sinking to the bottom of the ocean — where the water temperature is 1C 34F and the pressure is strong enough to crush them like a tin can — seems alarming.

But to Joel Perry, president of OceanGate Expeditions and a diver for close to 30 years, safety is no issue. Perry says there is an explicit understanding that the applicants must be physically and mentally suitable for a week at sea. N ew footage detailing the condition of the Titanic has scientists speculating that the shipwreck will have disintegrated entirely within the next 30 years.

An expedition team led by Caladan Oceanic CEO and deep-sea explorer Victor Vescovo recently dove to the wreck in the five times over the course of eight days, sourcing the most up-to-date images of the famous sunken liner. Vescovo also recently broke the world record for deep-diving with a recent descent 35, feet into the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, the deepest natural trench in the world.

The wreck of the Titanic has lain at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the Canadian province of Newfoundland since April , when it hit an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City. Of the 2, passengers and crew on board, more than 1, died. The ship, which fell to the seabed in two parts, can now be found miles off the coast of Newfoundland at a depth of roughly 12, feet. In she co-discovered a new species of bacteria — Halomonas titanicae — found in rusticle samples taken from the wreck.

This process results in rusticles, fragile rust formations which resemble icicles. Rusticles can be seen all over the wreck, in a constant state of disintegration and regrowth.