James Cameron Building New Tech To Study Oceans

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by Michael dEstries August 16, 2010
Categories: People
Tags: .

James Cameron turned 56 years young today — and to celebrate, he surprised no one by deciding to dive close to the bottom of the deepest lake in the world.

The director visited Lake Baikal in Russia, the deepest and oldest in the world, and dove some 4,265 feet in a MIR-1 submersible — the same tech he used to film Titanic in the 90s. According to reports, he spent some 3.5 hours on the bottom and retrieved some soil samples for study.

News reports also say that Cameron is “building a submarine in Australia that will take him 36,000 feet underwater.” This is almost double what the MIR class of submersibles is capable of achieving — and would place it in a category all it’s own. It’s also interesting to note that should Cameron be successful with his design, it would be the first privately-owned deep sea submersible. Of the five or so that exist in the world, all are owned by governments.

Cameron also mentioned that he’s working on “developing an upgraded 3-D underwater camera” and has plans for an “underwater feature film that he said he might make before taking on an Avatar sequel.” That film is most likely the cave-dive action drama entitled Sanctum — which tells the true story of an underwater cave collapse that trapped 15 divers.

Either way, with the action in the next Avatar hinted to take place underwater, expect the filming of this epic to take advantage of Cameron’s tinkerings on the side.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

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  • David

    I guess this is why he backed out of the debate with AGW skeptics. A debate that he had asked for.

    “His representatives contacted myself and two other well known skeptics, Marc Morano of the Climate Depot website and Andrew Breitbart, the new media entrepreneur.

    Mr. Cameron was attending the AREDAY environmental conference in Aspen Colorado 19-22 August. He wanted the conference to end with a debate on climate change. Cameron would be flanked with two scientists. It would be 90 minutes long. It would be streamed live on the internet.

    They hoped the debate would attract a lot of media coverage.

    “We are delighted to have Fox News, Newsmax, The Washington Times and anyone else you’d like. The more the better,” one of James Cameron’s organizers said in an email…

    Everyone on our side agreed with their conditions. The debate was even listed on the AREDAY agenda.

    But then as the debate approached James Cameron’s side started changing the rules.

    They wanted to change their team. We agreed.

    They wanted to change the format to less of a debate—to “a roundtable”. We agreed.

    Then they wanted to ban our cameras from the debate. We could have access to their footage. We agreed.

    Bizarrely, for a brief while, the worlds most successful film maker suggested that no cameras should be allowed-that sound only should be recorded. We agreed

    Then finally James Cameron, who so publicly announced that he “wanted to call those deniers out into the street at high noon and shoot it out,” decided to ban the media from the shoot out.

    He even wanted to ban the public. The debate/roundtable would only be open to those who attended the conference.

    No media would be allowed and there would be no streaming on the internet. No one would be allowed to record it in any way.

    We all agreed to that.

    And then, yesterday, just one day before the debate, his representatives sent an email that Mr. “shoot it out “ Cameron no longer wanted to take part. The debate was cancelled.”

    http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/could_sceptics_debate_camerons_avatar_instead/

    • Michael Raymer

      What does your post have to do with him building a submarine? And where was AGW mentioned in the above article? BTW, just posting the link would have sufficed.

  • David

    He was to busy building his submarine to attend the debate that he asked for. That is what it has to do with him building a submarine.

    Do you have to have everything explained to you?

    By the way, some people prefer to read the info at one place and not have to click on a link. And I didn’t post the whole article or any of the comments.

    So, I guess you do have to have everything explained to you.

    • Michael Raymer

      And this has exactly what disasterous effect on you? Were you on pins and needles, waiting for an open and frank discussion on global warming so you could grow as a person? Were you willing to give credence to the beliefs on both sides of the issue? Were you hoping that new light might be shed on things that you are willing to admit that you do not know? Or, did you happen to notice this article and decide to be your usual shit-disturbing self?

  • David

    “Or, did you happen to notice this article and decide to be your usual shit-disturbing self?”

    No, I wouldn’t want people to compare me to you.

    I was interested in both sides presenting their positions in an open and public debate. I have questions about both sides positions which currently leave me wavering in between and I felt that the debate format would have helped me decide which side has their ducks in a row.

    • Michael Raymer

      OK, OK, I’ll back off. But you really can’t hold it against me for checking. Y’know, what with your abundant history of trolling, flaming, disingenuous, make-shit-up-as-you-go, half-assed remarks on the whaling issue. I actually was partly applauding you for branching out and making trolling, flaming, disingenuous, make-shit-up-as-you-go, half-assed remarks about global warming. But if you are putting your past behind you and becoming a true rennaissance man, then I tip my hat to you. Well done.

    • David

      Oh thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if Michael Raymer had approved of my post. I mean without the agreement of a self-righteous windbag I would just be lost in a sea of despair.

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