The Titanic Discovery

The Titanic was a huge ship that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg. For over 70 years, no one knew exactly where it was. Then in 1985, a scientist named Robert Ballard found it. The ship was lying deep at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery amazed people all around the world.

Finding the Wreck

Robert Ballard used a special underwater robot to search the sea floor. The Titanic was more than 2 miles deep. The team found pieces of the ship scattered over a wide area. The front and back of the ship had broken apart. Cameras took the first pictures of the wreck in 73 years.

An old movie poster about raising the Titanic from the sea.
An old movie poster about raising the Titanic from the sea. (Wikimedia Commons)

Exploring the Titanic

Since 1985, many teams have visited the Titanic wreck. They use tiny submarines that can go very deep. Explorers have seen plates, shoes, and even chandeliers still inside the ship. Rust and sea creatures are slowly eating away at the metal. One day, the wreck may disappear forever.

Fun Facts

  • The Titanic is so deep that sunlight can't reach it.
  • Strange bacteria on the wreck create long rusty icicles called rusticles.
  • It takes over 2 hours for a submarine to reach the Titanic.

Did You Know?

The Titanic wreck sits about 370 miles off the coast of Canada. It is slowly being eaten away by tiny ocean microbes.