"I am an explorer and mapmaker," Ballard says, continuing to push the boundaries of what is known about the 70% of our planet that lies underwater.
His discovery was made possible by revolutionary "telepresence" technology—unmanned, camera-equipped robots like and Jason that allowed him to see the seafloor without being physically present in a submersible. Beyond the "Rusty Old Boat" Bob Ballard: An Explorer's Life
Ballard's mother famously told him it was "too bad" he found the Titanic, fearing people would forget his more important scientific work. Ballard himself often states that finding in 1977 was his greatest contribution to science. These deep-sea geysers revealed an entire ecosystem independent of sunlight, powered by chemosynthesis—a discovery that completely shifted biological theory. Other legendary discoveries include: "I am an explorer and mapmaker," Ballard says,