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The once and future Alvin

A photo, circa 1967, shows the research submersible Alvin with two support swimmers, as crew watch from Lulu, Alvin’s first tender ship. WHOI still operates the U.S. Navy-owned Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) Alvin for the oceanographic research community. Built in 1964, the little white sub has more than 4,200 dives (as deep as 4,500 meters) and many “firsts” to its credit—including exploring hydrothermal vents, surveying the sunken RMS Titanic, and collecting new deep-sea species. Now, Alvin enters the next phase: the sub will have a new titanium personnel sphere and enhanced research capabilities.

(Photo courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Archives)