Why Are Scientists Exploring Sunken History with Mine-Hunting Robots?
A key purpose of NOAA’s Ocean Exploration and Research Program is to investigate the more than 95 percent of Earth’s underwater world that until now has remained virtually unknown and unseen. Such exploration may reveal clues to the origin of life on Earth, cures for human diseases, answers on how to achieve sustainable use of resources, links to our maritime history, and information to protect endangered species. Technology enables each advancement made in exploration and using advanced technologies is just one focus of the Ocean Exploration and Research Program. Often, techniques used for one type of ocean exploration can be adapted to explore other parts of Earth’s ocean. AUVfest 2008 focuses on using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), or underwater robots that operate without a pilot or cable to a ship or submersible, to explore archeological sites. The experience gained to explore these sites can help scientists explore many other places in the ocean that are too large or too
