Obsessed with the Quest

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Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Stories of dangerous expeditions with narrow escapes, told first-hand by the adventuring, tenacious scientists and naturalists themselves as they pursue breakthroughs in research.

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Obsessed with the Quest: Descending the Five Deeps

Descending the Five Deeps

BBC Radio 4 - Obsessed with the Quest, Descending the Five Deeps

Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans.

Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans, including the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific.

Victor Vescovo was born an adventurer. After being given his first bicycle, his family hardly saw him until he'd ridden that bicycle into the ground - he was too busy exploring his home city of Dallas, Texas. Since those early days, Victor has expanded his horizons. Having reached the highest peaks on all five continents, he then set out to dive to the deepest parts of all five oceans. Victor's longest dive was solo to the lowest point on Earth - the Challenger Deep at the bottom of the Marianas trench in the western Pacific. On reaching the bottom, some 35,853 feet below the ocean surface, should something have gone wrong, there was no hope of rescue. Victor describes his feelings before making this historic descent and on the way down. As Victor's titanium submarine descended - a journey of several hours - he was encased in almost complete silence, ever alert for even the tiniest crack or groan that might indicate there was a problem. Touching down on the sea bed, he was astounded. There was much more marine life than he had expected. Victor describes how he hopes that the mapping, observations and sample collections he has made on his dives will advance scientific understanding of the deep oceans. And where his eternal quest to explore might take him next.

Produced by Diane Hope

(Image: Bubbles in deep water. Credit: seawaters/Getty Images)

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