@@SwiftTheMyth Didn't you listen to what was being said? Moving/raising the Titanic would destroy it far far quicker than nature would. Better to leave her alone and just continue to carefully monitor and explore what's left rather than risk ultimate destruction. Also, "before it decays"? It's already decaying.
Thinking the very same really.. all attention goes to her older sister Titanic while Brittanic was actually bigger, heavier and in much better condition apart from snapped off bow section unfortunately..
@@Livia009 hah yeah, that's odd eh.. both ships reverse damage but Brittanic didn't break in half. She was built even stronger than her older sisters yet unimaginable strain of her bow hitting the sea bottom during sinking. Pretty crazy thinking she hit the bottom while her stern well out of the water eh 😮😮
It's crazy just how well the Wreck has held up. Many people thought she would be nothing but a brown stain on the ocean floor by 2024. We are still blessed to have her looking beautiful in a twisted way. She will never truly be gone as we have bits on the surface.
It’s ironic though because it further proves how strong a ship she actually was and it further debunks the whole she was a weak steal ship thing. She lasted 2hrs and 40 mins longer than one of her designers thought during the sinking, she broke because she couldn’t hold the strain any longer not because she was weak.and on top of all that she’s lasted 112 years on the sea floor and despite the devastation she is still there. So Harland and Wolff did build a strong ship.
@@nager1997I watched a fascinating documentary on how well the titanic was built. They put everything to the test . Steel , rivets you name it . All the experts came to conclusion that she was incredibly well made and due to that fact is the reason she stayed a float for as long as she did. I wish I could remember the name of the documentary was it was so interesting.
Something I think this doesn't account for is that Titanic is near a seismic zone. In 1929, an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck 300 miles west of Titanic. The wreck was likely in good enough condition in 1929 that the shaking and submarine landslides wouldn't have been too damaging. Today, however, the ship is far more fragile. I can't imagine that it would survive any sort of significant shaking today, much less so the impact of a submarine debris flow.
@@Emissary355CONGRATULATIONS! This is the 1,000,000,000,000th time this has been said on the internet! You win the grand prize of knowing that you have no original thoughts and are on the low end of human intelligence. Enjoy!
One thing that would also affect things is the buildup of sediment. At that depth it happens extremely slowly, but you can already see Titanic's decks being covered by a thin layer of silt. It's likely that given how long it would take for her propellers to decay (bronze being almost chemically inert in seawater), they'd be buried under quite a thick layer of sediment before that has time to happen, which might shield them from further exposure to oxygen. In that case they might theoretically survive all the way until the bit of seafloor the Titanic is resting on gets subducted millions of years from now, at which point they'll melt in the Earth's mantle and are recycled into new rocks.
The North American plate (which the wreck of the Titanic sits in the middle of) isn't likely to be subducted for hundreds of millions, if not billions, of years from now.
@@JWRogersPS A hundred million years or so. There's no ocean crust in the world older than about 200 million years, and most is considerably younger than that. Compared to continental crust, which can be several billions of years old, oceanic crust is very short-lived.
I remember when I was 5 or 6, reading that Titanic’s wreck would be a pile of rust by 2100. And being a little kid, I was so sad. So, thank you for reassuring that she would be in that state then
Even with the rate of decay… its still outstanding that the ship will literally outlive probably most of us watching this at the moment. Not so say that maybe their may be some kind of catastrophic collapse but seeing how well its survived for over 100 years already still amazes me.
I kind of wish that we could run a microphone down there. The haunting sounds that this wreck must be making as it decays… it might be a bit macabre but I think it would be something to hear that.
I am a great Titanic obsessive and have been since finding a print of a painting of the sinking in the cellar of a house we once lived in. That was when I was eight years old, sixty one years ago, The finding of the wreck in 1985 was a highlight of my life. I have to agree with a previous comment, though, that the Britannic seems sadly overlooked. I know that the Titanic loss was dramatic and significant, but my interest in her led me to be fascinated by all Liners and their fate's. She deserves more attention. Love this channel, great job. ❤👍
This could be my post above, fascinated about Titanic from an early age, intrigued about all shipwrecks now, especially the Great Lakes in US/Canada and one closer to home, the Princess Victoria lost in the North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1953.
Mike, these illustrations are exceptional. The choice of colors, the framework visible beneath the skin, and the research into what will most likely happen as time passes - really well done.
@@mr_incognito9305 No not really it was more so 1912s limitations on steel Steel back then was not as good as steel we have now it has too much sulphur making it brittle when the water is ice cold
I remember seeing the news reports when Robert Ballard first discovered Titanic in 1985. It's truly kind of amazing that the bow section was in relatively good shape even then, when one considers the violence of the sinking and descent plus the impact of the ship on the ocean floor. It's really a testimony to Harland and Wolff's workmanship, IMO. But sooner or later, the ship will be gone. Nothing can last forever. Love the channel, keep up the great videos!!
This is exactly why educational videos like yours are so important! It’s very telling that had this great ship never sank…it wouldn’t even be around for anyone to see today at all. So Titanic by far “outlived” many many more generations than she was meant to. Thank you my friend. I’m grateful for you.
Back in the 1920s there was a underwater earthquake that some people thought had buried the wreck forever, if that happens again we could lose her in a moment, so be grateful for what we have. I suspect larger parts will be salvaged as technology improves maybe ever an anchor or a propeller. Great video Mike , many thanks 👍
It is for this reason that I'm for the selective recovery of personal effects from the site. Those who died can be remembered and their stories told. Once She's gone, no one will go down there, and the stories will remain untold forever.
@@samkestrelfilms8652 idk, I may have picked the wrong word. It just feels weird to me. Like those people where just normal people, their stories aren't interesting enough to go take stuff from where they died. Just let things lay where they fall if that makes sense
Oh hey, it’s our friend Mike Brady! Thanks for covering yet another fascinating (albeit saddening) topic on everybody’s favorite liner. I was looking at the photos and footage of the expedition earlier this week, and I had to stop halfway through. It’s one thing knowing the titanic will eventually disappear for good, but it’s another thing seeing it happen before our eyes. It’s like seeing an old friend getting older and knowing they have more years behind them than ahead of them. That said, the history and fame of Titanic will live on forever thanks to the slew of talented content creators such as yourself, Mike. Thanks for making such consistently high quality content at regular intervals.
THANK YOU, MIKE. I was born on the 15th of April many years ago and the Titanic has always been very special to me plus the fact that my Dad and his family came to America from Madeira Island in 1920 and could have so easily suffered from the same fate as those on the Titanic if circumstances had been different. The information in this video that the TITANIC will still be recognizable for years after I am gone offers a strange sense of comfort so THANK YOU!
honestly, i feel like letting her die gracefully and allowing her to become a part of the world again is not a bad or a sad thing. she's had her moments and will be remembered for an exceptionally long time. she deserves to rest.
@@americanloyalist4599 No he proposed a future plan to preserve what is down there and not destroy it further by removing objects from the hull which is what they want to do now. Many historians have said there is nothing that can be learned from bringing up artifacts of this ship. We already know everything there is about this historical period. Besides if u want to see White starline artifacts just look at the stuff that has been on Titanic's sister ship the Olympic. Hunting for artifacts is basically just done for sensationalism and trying to make money of it. Since the beginning of the salvage operations It has been abundantly clear and documented it does more harm than good to the wreck site. A wreck side which they pretend to care about.
Hi Mike, I am a huge fan of your channel. I dig the current/ future decay segments you have done. Have you done an episode on what the ship looked like from 1912 to 1985? It would be interesting to see that. Keep up the great work!
@@gehtdianschasau8372 In a hundred years the statue will no longer be visible due to silt and rust. Bring it up helps all to see and enjoy it. How much interest is a rust pile on the ocean floor?
@gehtdianschasau8372 It wouldn't really do any harm to recover the statue. I'd rather bring things of remote interest up instead of letting it be forever lost to time.
They probably did bring the statue up as it was first sighted in 1985 and then covered in mud and lost until it was again sighted all these years later .
It would actually be interesting to see a simulation of how different parts of the wreck have changed since 1912. After all, it was pretty much pristine immediately after sinking.
Wonderful demonstration Mike! I've been obsessed with the titanic since I was a little boy, my son (5) is also now obsessed and loves watching your videos with me. Just like that fateful night in 1912, nature reminded us then she's in control of the sea. And even still reminds us now. It's painful to see it decay and to imagine all the hallways and corridors from the b deck down to the engine room will disappear.
Mike, I agree with your considered opinion that the beautiful Titanic will decay and disappear, sooner rather than later. Nothing lasts forever, alas, nor should it. Our friends who want her to be perfectly preserved are already far too late. Only your wonderful drawings and animations will live on... Thank you so much.
Hello Mike, I have been watching your channel for 2 months now. And during these 2 months I managed to review, if not all the videos, then at least all the main videos on your channel. I am from the Russian city of Yoshkar-Ola and I am writing this comment through Google Translator, and I am watching your masterpieces through a neural network translator. Thanks to you, I learned so much about ocean liners and the Titanic. I have a tradition of watching your videos while walking my dogs at night, when the city falls asleep and the city lights bloom. It turns out very atmospheric, as if I find myself inside your videos. I love and will always watch your videos THANK YOU MIKE BRADY MY BEST FRIEND! P.s. I was very surprised to see you in the film: “Titanic in Color” - I apologize if I didn’t call the video correctly.
I believe the Titanic wreck would have looked significantly different in the immediate aftermath of the sinking. The decks near the break-up point might have been less collapsed initially. However, over time, bacterial activity and natural strain would have caused the hull frames and plating to splay out and the decks to sag, similar to the boat deck today. The tough boilers may have prevented these decks from completely sloughing off into the mud. The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake could have contributed to additional damage, accelerating decay, especially in the after decks and hull. Future undersea earthquakes could also impact the wreck, potentially causing further damage.
Letting go off the past is good....we lost so many things on land from our past....not everything must be preserved...its pointless... doesn't add any value to human species of the future
@@Jagdtiger46 We need to acknowledge the past and learn from it. The story of Titanic has much to teach every generation, and yet people keep making the same terrible mistake that led to the Titanic disaster. Case in point : The recent loss of the Ocean Gate experimental submarine.
@@mikehenson819 what can you learn from a shipwreck? There is nothing...all the information has been obtained already...its like keeping a damaged clock on your wall and saying you need it to gain knowledge about clocks....we dont taxidermy our grandparents and keep them so that we have to cherish the memories with them...we use photos instead....so accept the reality and move on
With the railing gone it is like a tooth missing from their grin. However, one interesting thing is that maybe it will reveal new sections of the wreck yet unexplored.
Really fascinating. Shortly before your comments at the end, I was thinking, at least we can still see her in whatever condition she's in. If she hadn't sunk, she wouldv'e been scrapped long ago, sharing the fate of the Olympic.
Used to be terrified of ships and the water. Your videos have actually helped me Mike. Now appreciate the time and effort in shipbuilding and the safety (sounds counter-intuitive, I know considering your videos on sinkings). Thanks and respect from a cold England!
That statue being rediscovered is very neat. The Titanic was rediscovered in 85, the year I was born, and that statue was rediscovered then but lost once more for my entire life, only now being rediscovered nearly 40 years later. Also a testament to just how massive the debris field is down there that even a statue like the Diana of Versailles can be lost. Also real neat to see life nearby, in some pictures of the rediscovered statue there is some small white crab looking thing.
I think it was a crime NOT to preserve RMS Olympic as a way to remember her sisters Titanic and Britannic, like how USS Nevada and USS Pennsylvania weren't preserved to memorize both their sister ships. Of course, when Titanic goes, the last ship of the class that will be in the best material condition to remain will be HMHS Britannic. Yes, the wreck will change every decade or so, but at least she is among one of the best documented shipwrecks out there. That way when she does go, we have all of the videos, photomosaics, illustration pictures and more to remember her by.
Listening and watching this has almost reduced me to tears. I love maritime history, and you cannot deny nature, but to lose something so significant to history makes me want to cry.
That's a great bit photo manipulation and work on how it will degrade over time. You really hit the nail on the head there at the end that for all those who think it's horrible that it's degrading, the simple reality is, it would have been scrapped, same as Olympic. And this provides some excellent forensics, in a way, to see how that breakdown occurs. It also keeps alive the memory of something we should _never_ forget the lessons from. To echo some other comments here as well, it's too bad the Britannic's wreck doesn't get quite as much attention given it's in a pretty good state, and _much_ easier to get to.
I'm aware that the ship is still a hot topic even 114 years later. But the constant visits to the site is slowly accelerating the total collapse of the ship. When it was finally found in 1985 it had spent 73 in total darkness which actually kept it preserved save for the natural elements consuming it. Long story short it's the natural curiosity of us that's speeding up the eventual disappearance of Titanic. Had it remained lost like it was from 1912 to 1985 the remains would have lasted a very long time longer
Great analysis Mike. Most military modern vessels are designed for a 25-30 year service life with material selection and maintenance regime planned around that life cycle. So as a commercial vessel I'm astonished she is still in this condition. To me, Titanic's beautiful legacy will always be the SOLAS Convention. Thank you for keeping her breathtaking elegance alive.
I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful that I "spawned" in an era with the technology to not only see 1985+ footage of Titanic, but to see her in all her glory with the 3D scans, explorations etc. It's an incredible and fleeting part of history for me (as a lil Titanic nerd myself), that I get to witness some of these things in real time. However I can't help but be envious of my dad being able to remember when Dr. Ballard initially found her.
Something else kind of interesting to think about is that you know that there are areas that are very well preserved inside the bow that, when they become exposed for a very brief period of time, will allow for a wealth of archaeological information if people are down there to record it.
I live in Oregon, where the wreck of the Peter Iredale, a four masted barque, ran aground in 1906. Her remains rest about four miles south of the Columbia River, and now the only thing that remains are the bow section's ribs. Learning about this ship, made me realized that Titanic would also suffer the same fate, only at a slower pace.
Very thought-provoking and it’s got me wondering how much internal footage exists, Rooms, passageways etc or is it not possible to navigate robot cameras fully internally ?
There is quite a lot of internal footage of the Titanic, taken on one of James Cameron's dives and released in the documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss" from 2003.
Thanks Mike! What do you think will happen to the statue if it's salvaged? And as areas open up due to decay will crews try to go into currently inaccessible areas like the swimming pool?
I've been wondering about that too. As awesome as it would be to see rooms like the swimming pool I imagine that even if it wasn't completely destroyed there would be so much debris from above that it wouldn't be recognizable.
Now that it has been found again, I think that the bronze statue should be recovered and put up on public display at a museum. Makes no sense to just leave it lying there on the sea floor. Same goes for any other interesting objects that can be recovered relatively easily. Bring them up and display them, I say.
All the dives to the site are accelerating the corrosion. The Lusitania is in shallower warmer waters and hit the ground in a more catastrophic way, the Olympic too. And both arent degrading as fast. And before someone says "depth", the USS Johnson and USS Yorktown and Bismark were all found in excellent enough shape that their battle damage could be inspected.
HMHS Britannic ! Why not more videos about sister ship ? It is almost intact to this day. I believe I am not the only one who wants to see much more about this ship that is almost identical to Titanic
I'm going to steal Buzz Aldrin's words "Magnificent Desolation'' a little and say, Titanic's wreck is a _magnificent entropy._ Seeing it decay over a quarter of a century, ever since the 90's when I was a kid just really bends the mind and the feels like a form of time travel. I'm not sad, it looks beautiful. It's like a painful wound on history slowly healing as it disappears.
As a kid in the 1970's I saw a freshly grounded 300 foot freighter MV Vanlene run aground off Austin Island in British Columbia Canada with elevated bow and stern underwater. over the next 3 years I saw it get rustier, then break in two with bow poking above water until slipping below the surface the much more rustier deckhouse and smokestack disappearing under the surface 1 year later. Today The ships front half in shallow water is completely broken up from tides and storms The stern is apparently still intact due to being 100 feet down with less water turbulence.
Such is a true for all things really. Nobody would remember the Hindenburg if it hadn't burned. Nobody would remember a lot of things if it didn't end under tragic circumstances.
When I started to learn about the Titanic one of my first thoughts was how at some point in time the ship will be a rust stain on the ocean floor. In 2012 when the wreck was still there my mind was blown but the thought still lingered. I never thought about the process of the decay which is upsetting but also fascinating in a weird way to learn about.
I think they should raise the 1st class statue. It would be a wonderful piece to preserve for the future to see. I know the morality of its a mass grave. I think we need to collect as much that can be taken for museums and research.
Mike - you're doing a fantastic job with the Titanic videos. I recently fell down the rabbit hole (again, first time was twenty years ago) and have been reading and watching everything I can to learn more. I have a quick question: can you recommend a good overall, full history of ship theory, design, and building?
Thank you for this one ! I was born in '71 and grew up on the legend of the RMS TITANIC. I remember watching in awe when she was first found and explored. I've seen A Night To Remember 🚢 more times than I can remember 😅 and hurt over her gradual decay through the intervening years. I know she has to go 😔 just as all things, including us, must. But, all the hype had me sincerely saddened to believe it may happen during my lifetime. I didn't see how, but had become convinced enough 🥺. Your evaluation of how it will actually occur and the time it will take more closely matches what I've always believed or desperately wanted to believe. Though, I'll never be any closer to visiting the sight than I've ever been, I find great comfort in the thought she'll outlive me ! It's even better that she will likely still appear as a ship 🚢 when I eventually pass from this world. The TITANIC has been one of the very few constants in my life in an ever changing world 🌎. I really haven't wanted to bid her farewell. I'd much rather she see me out, just as her legend graced my childhood imagination, than to find myself fated to witness her inevitable end. I think you've predicted her future coarse very well and thoughtfully. Thank you sir !
I’m torn with the thought that we need to bring up as much as possible before it’s lost. Then I feel like it should just all be left alone. It is a grave sight after all. Maybe bring up stuff like that little statue, bottles and other artifacts so they can be seen and admired.
The “canning” you see on preserved battleships is not from forces of the water or waves, it’s meant to look that way from thermal expansion and contraction between the joints.
Why am I genuinely upset about the railing ?😭🤦🏻♂️ like it’s not going to affect my daily life whatsoever but I compulsively felt upset and that my year has been ruined by the news . I guess we all knew in the back of our heads that she’s not going to last forever, but still feeling passionate about something like this gives one a sense of false protection I guess. There’s nothing we could do for her all the way down there but we hate to see her getting damaged even further 😢
I keep wondering when the wreck of the Great Lakes ore carrier Edward Y Townsend will be found. By all accounts it is quite close to the Titanic wreck. The Townsend broke in two and sank while being towed to Spain in 1960 for scrapping. Her sister ship the Daniel J Morrel broke in half during a lake Huron storm in 1966. Ironically those ships made of very similar steel to the Titanic which was brittle in cold water(Morell built in 1906). I just find it fascinating that two shipwrecks might be so close to each other.
Mike, you're a true expert on the Titanic! Keep up with the research and these excellent presentations. Your videos are well assembled, edited and overall presented, great work and appreciated!
I wonder if when there comes the time where The Titanic will reach a point of no return, where expeditions utilizing ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) can no longer be safely navigated throughout the interior of the remains of the ship and will there have to be be a serious discussion about the ethics of removing significantly more pieces of whatever remains in terms of objects of great historical value that can still be recovered for the purposes of historical preservation before it is too late. Deciding wether or not to essentially take anything and everything of historical and thus monetary value that still remains on the Titanic, and if this is right and justified so that the ship can be furthered preserved by the objects that we recover for future generations and the ethics of doing so or, if we should just leave her to decay into ultimately nothing, along with every remaining object of potential historical value and settle for what we have now to remember her by.
18:57 I’ve noticed this with the Alkimos shipwreck. The only thing left now is the engine and the boilers sticking out of the water, the rest is now submerged
If a haircut can survive all the way from the 1840's to you right now, I'm sure Titanic can do wonders. 😉 Thank you for this channel. What a fantastic work !
One thing to remember about the entirety of the ship's exterior: it's almost all covered in lead paint and under that is mill scale. Any damaged bits will have popped that paint off & warped the crystal structure of the steel, allowing saltwater in & also bacteria. Metal can "splinter" and microscopically separate under certain forces along these crystal "grains" which is why any areas of sinking & submersible damage seem to be dissolving faster. Areas with less distortions & stress on the steel are going to last a lot longer, as they still have structural integrity, plus that mill scale, and possibly residual lead paint. If you look at any modern steel ship still afloat, you'll see rust anywhere the paint is damaged, or from drain pipes without interior coatings. One other factor at play here to a lesser degree is the uniformity of the steel. The steel making process for these larger hull plates was far less sophisticated than the processes used even just a few decades later (see any preserved ship!) which means the alloying may not be totally uniform. This will have a small effect on which parts of the plating start corroding & being eaten away first. If the ship was in warmer water, this effect would be more of an issue. Great video!
The fact that the propellers will remain for possible millenia is actually quite inspiring! Even if they're standing alone in a patch of rust, they'll still be driving the ship's memory forward in time.
Who was it that said it would be easier to drain the ocean than to try to raise the Titanic? That puts into perspective how it's not a practical thing that we could do at this point.
"Probably not in my lifetime or your lifetime, but relatively soon"
What a stark reminder of how time flies and how short a lifetime really is.
if we wanted to move it before it decays we could, We have that choice
@@SwiftTheMyth Didn't you listen to what was being said? Moving/raising the Titanic would destroy it far far quicker than nature would. Better to leave her alone and just continue to carefully monitor and explore what's left rather than risk ultimate destruction. Also, "before it decays"? It's already decaying.
@@SwiftTheMythYou cant be serious lmfao
"relatively"
@@AliceInBlunderland666 Not to mention the public outrage amongst the religious/superstitious that would stir up.
I find it poetic how Titanic's erosion will happen in a similar way to the sinking itself. Slow at first then all at once.
Given the timescales. It actually seems like it will slow down as time goes on.
I wish Britannic recieved more attention, it's in near perfect shqpe and i just wish it was explored more
Thinking the very same really.. all attention goes to her older sister Titanic while Brittanic was actually bigger, heavier and in much better condition apart from snapped off bow section unfortunately..
It's just a shame she's resting on her side.
@@kevinmyles6369 it's interesting, titanic's bow is in basically perfect condition while britannic's is smashed up
The could make a movie on Britannic, but it would be a short one
@@Livia009 hah yeah, that's odd eh.. both ships reverse damage but Brittanic didn't break in half. She was built even stronger than her older sisters yet unimaginable strain of her bow hitting the sea bottom during sinking. Pretty crazy thinking she hit the bottom while her stern well out of the water eh 😮😮
It's crazy just how well the Wreck has held up. Many people thought she would be nothing but a brown stain on the ocean floor by 2024. We are still blessed to have her looking beautiful in a twisted way. She will never truly be gone as we have bits on the surface.
It’s ironic though because it further proves how strong a ship she actually was and it further debunks the whole she was a weak steal ship thing. She lasted 2hrs and 40 mins longer than one of her designers thought during the sinking, she broke because she couldn’t hold the strain any longer not because she was weak.and on top of all that she’s lasted 112 years on the sea floor and despite the devastation she is still there. So Harland and Wolff did build a strong ship.
@@nager1997 Just not QUITE strong enough! 😉
@@nager1997 lets not forget how heavy her engines were.
@@nager1997I watched a fascinating documentary on how well the titanic was built. They put everything to the test . Steel , rivets you name it . All the experts came to conclusion that she was incredibly well made and due to that fact is the reason she stayed a float for as long as she did. I wish I could remember the name of the documentary was it was so interesting.
@@jandedick7519 I know it I saw that too. Didn’t they use a machine to try and crush a rivet?
Something I think this doesn't account for is that Titanic is near a seismic zone. In 1929, an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck 300 miles west of Titanic. The wreck was likely in good enough condition in 1929 that the shaking and submarine landslides wouldn't have been too damaging.
Today, however, the ship is far more fragile. I can't imagine that it would survive any sort of significant shaking today, much less so the impact of a submarine debris flow.
Yaa it might gonna make it collapse sadly
But Its just mother nature if it happens it was always suposed to happen.
@@johndetheshape3095 If mother nature was smart it would flick off the most destructive nuisance on Earth, humanity.
@@Emissary355we get it
@@Emissary355 dw we got u humans will destroy them selves. nukes.
@@Emissary355CONGRATULATIONS! This is the 1,000,000,000,000th time this has been said on the internet! You win the grand prize of knowing that you have no original thoughts and are on the low end of human intelligence. Enjoy!
One thing that would also affect things is the buildup of sediment. At that depth it happens extremely slowly, but you can already see Titanic's decks being covered by a thin layer of silt. It's likely that given how long it would take for her propellers to decay (bronze being almost chemically inert in seawater), they'd be buried under quite a thick layer of sediment before that has time to happen, which might shield them from further exposure to oxygen. In that case they might theoretically survive all the way until the bit of seafloor the Titanic is resting on gets subducted millions of years from now, at which point they'll melt in the Earth's mantle and are recycled into new rocks.
Trippy
The North American plate (which the wreck of the Titanic sits in the middle of) isn't likely to be subducted for hundreds of millions, if not billions, of years from now.
can we weld the railing back XD
@@JWRogersPS A hundred million years or so. There's no ocean crust in the world older than about 200 million years, and most is considerably younger than that. Compared to continental crust, which can be several billions of years old, oceanic crust is very short-lived.
@@triceratroytv2292 Far-out! lol
I remember when I was 5 or 6, reading that Titanic’s wreck would be a pile of rust by 2100. And being a little kid, I was so sad. So, thank you for reassuring that she would be in that state then
Even with the rate of decay… its still outstanding that the ship will literally outlive probably most of us watching this at the moment. Not so say that maybe their may be some kind of catastrophic collapse but seeing how well its survived for over 100 years already still amazes me.
I kind of wish that we could run a microphone down there.
The haunting sounds that this wreck must be making as it decays… it might be a bit macabre but I think it would be something to hear that.
It’s just hunks of metal it’s not too macabre, all the living things that were with it are long disappeared
I am a great Titanic obsessive and have been since finding a print of a painting of the sinking in the cellar of a house we once lived in. That was when I was eight years old, sixty one years ago, The finding of the wreck in 1985 was a highlight of my life. I have to agree with a previous comment, though, that the Britannic seems sadly overlooked. I know that the Titanic loss was dramatic and significant, but my interest in her led me to be fascinated by all Liners and their fate's. She deserves more attention. Love this channel, great job. ❤👍
This could be my post above, fascinated about Titanic from an early age, intrigued about all shipwrecks now, especially the Great Lakes in US/Canada and one closer to home, the Princess Victoria lost in the North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1953.
Surprisingly, I don't have many friends who are interested in ocean liner disasters and mysteries😅 so thanks for the comment. 👍
I'm 50 years old, it's weird to think we were alive before we knew where she was! I'll never forget the excitement of 1985!💙🚢
Mike, these illustrations are exceptional. The choice of colors, the framework visible beneath the skin, and the research into what will most likely happen as time passes - really well done.
great , Mike i could listen to you all day, your explanations are wonderful thank you.
@@gerryhodgson4966 I saw him on tele a few weeks back on channel 4.
0:22 look at Mr Krabs trying to turn the titanic into a new restaurant. Bro thinks we won't notice.
😂titanic shaped krabbie patties!
MONEY!
“Am I really going to defile this grave for money?…Of course I am!!!” - Mr. Krabs
I heard spongebob shouting" aye aye mr. Krabs"😂
New menu item: the Stockton Patty
That the railing even lasted that long is crazy
I work on a ship built 10 years ago. We're currently replacing all the hand rails because they're rotting off.
@@racoming1035 They use cheap materials now. Typical modern engineering
@@paulwoodford1984 titanic sunk literally because of its use of substandard materials and cost cutting
@@mr_incognito9305 No not really it was more so 1912s limitations on steel
Steel back then was not as good as steel we have now it has too much sulphur making it brittle when the water is ice cold
@mr_incognito9305 It was because it hit a iceberg…
I remember seeing the news reports when Robert Ballard first discovered Titanic in 1985. It's truly kind of amazing that the bow section was in relatively good shape even then, when one considers the violence of the sinking and descent plus the impact of the ship on the ocean floor. It's really a testimony to Harland and Wolff's workmanship, IMO. But sooner or later, the ship will be gone. Nothing can last forever.
Love the channel, keep up the great videos!!
This is exactly why educational videos like yours are so important! It’s very telling that had this great ship never sank…it wouldn’t even be around for anyone to see today at all. So Titanic by far “outlived” many many more generations than she was meant to. Thank you my friend. I’m grateful for you.
Back in the 1920s there was a underwater earthquake that some people thought had buried the wreck forever, if that happens again we could lose her in a moment, so be grateful for what we have. I suspect larger parts will be salvaged as technology improves maybe ever an anchor or a propeller.
Great video Mike , many thanks 👍
It is for this reason that I'm for the selective recovery of personal effects from the site. Those who died can be remembered and their stories told. Once She's gone, no one will go down there, and the stories will remain untold forever.
I feel like that's being too sentimental
@hexmaniacdio248 too sentimental how?
@@samkestrelfilms8652 idk, I may have picked the wrong word. It just feels weird to me. Like those people where just normal people, their stories aren't interesting enough to go take stuff from where they died. Just let things lay where they fall if that makes sense
@@hexmaniacdio248 ah OK fair enough
Absolutely incredible video concept. So well done, Mike! Miss you bud hope you're well!
Oh hey, it’s our friend Mike Brady! Thanks for covering yet another fascinating (albeit saddening) topic on everybody’s favorite liner. I was looking at the photos and footage of the expedition earlier this week, and I had to stop halfway through.
It’s one thing knowing the titanic will eventually disappear for good, but it’s another thing seeing it happen before our eyes. It’s like seeing an old friend getting older and knowing they have more years behind them than ahead of them.
That said, the history and fame of Titanic will live on forever thanks to the slew of talented content creators such as yourself, Mike. Thanks for making such consistently high quality content at regular intervals.
THANK YOU, MIKE. I was born on the 15th of April many years ago and the Titanic has always been very special to me plus the fact that my Dad and his family came to America from Madeira Island in 1920 and could have so easily suffered from the same fate as those on the Titanic if circumstances had been different. The information in this video that the TITANIC will still be recognizable for years after I am gone offers a strange sense of comfort so THANK YOU!
honestly, i feel like letting her die gracefully and allowing her to become a part of the world again is not a bad or a sad thing. she's had her moments and will be remembered for an exceptionally long time. she deserves to rest.
Dr Robert Ballard said many years ago people are going down there and are literally loving it to death. He was right.
Ironically and unfortunately …..
Ballard what to run robot painters down the hall and add cameras on her he is a hypocrite
@@americanloyalist4599 No he proposed a future plan to preserve what is down there and not destroy it further by removing objects from the hull which is what they want to do now. Many historians have said there is nothing that can be learned from bringing up artifacts of this ship. We already know everything there is about this historical period. Besides if u want to see White starline artifacts just look at the stuff that has been on Titanic's sister ship the Olympic. Hunting for artifacts is basically just done for sensationalism and trying to make money of it. Since the beginning of the salvage operations It has been abundantly clear and documented it does more harm than good to the wreck site. A wreck side which they pretend to care about.
Hi Mike, I am a huge fan of your channel. I dig the current/ future decay segments you have done. Have you done an episode on what the ship looked like from 1912 to 1985? It would be interesting to see that. Keep up the great work!
Beautiful written and presented on a somber but realistic topic. Thank you Mike.
I imagine Titanic will be a pile of iron ore in 200 years Mike . Its awesome that they found the statue from the 1st class lounge .
@@Gregm-l9r would be nice if they would bring that statue up and place it on display somewhere!
@@cheesyllama I'm not so sure about that, maybe it is where it belongs.
@@gehtdianschasau8372 In a hundred years the statue will no longer be visible due to silt and rust. Bring it up helps all to see and enjoy it. How much interest is a rust pile on the ocean floor?
@gehtdianschasau8372 It wouldn't really do any harm to recover the statue. I'd rather bring things of remote interest up instead of letting it be forever lost to time.
They probably did bring the statue up as it was first sighted in 1985 and then covered in mud and lost until it was again sighted all these years later .
22:30. I like how you're comforting us as if we just lost our grandma. 🤣
Thanks!
It would actually be interesting to see a simulation of how different parts of the wreck have changed since 1912. After all, it was pretty much pristine immediately after sinking.
This video should be added to museums
I agree! Really informative in an easily digestible way
Come now🤔!
@@renesagahon4477 where are we going?!
@@renesagahon4477🤡
Wonderful demonstration Mike! I've been obsessed with the titanic since I was a little boy, my son (5) is also now obsessed and loves watching your videos with me. Just like that fateful night in 1912, nature reminded us then she's in control of the sea. And even still reminds us now. It's painful to see it decay and to imagine all the hallways and corridors from the b deck down to the engine room will disappear.
Mike, I agree with your considered opinion that the beautiful Titanic will decay and disappear, sooner rather than later. Nothing lasts forever, alas, nor should it. Our friends who want her to be perfectly preserved are already far too late. Only your wonderful drawings and animations will live on... Thank you so much.
Hello Mike, I have been watching your channel for 2 months now. And during these 2 months I managed to review, if not all the videos, then at least all the main videos on your channel. I am from the Russian city of Yoshkar-Ola and I am writing this comment through Google Translator, and I am watching your masterpieces through a neural network translator. Thanks to you, I learned so much about ocean liners and the Titanic.
I have a tradition of watching your videos while walking my dogs at night, when the city falls asleep and the city lights bloom. It turns out very atmospheric, as if I find myself inside your videos. I love and will always watch your videos THANK YOU MIKE BRADY MY BEST FRIEND!
P.s. I was very surprised to see you in the film: “Titanic in Color” - I apologize if I didn’t call the video correctly.
I believe the Titanic wreck would have looked significantly different in the immediate aftermath of the sinking. The decks near the break-up point might have been less collapsed initially. However, over time, bacterial activity and natural strain would have caused the hull frames and plating to splay out and the decks to sag, similar to the boat deck today. The tough boilers may have prevented these decks from completely sloughing off into the mud.
The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake could have contributed to additional damage, accelerating decay, especially in the after decks and hull. Future undersea earthquakes could also impact the wreck, potentially causing further damage.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Glad there are photos available before the inevitable happens.
You should do a video about Great Lakes shipwrecks because they are so well preserved.
This episode and it’s delivery actually moved me. Thank you for doing this work in such a caring fashion.
Could you do something like this also for the Britannic? She just feels so often overlooked… yet is at the razor edge of what a diver can go visit.
I know the wreck is technically a grave site but I feel like we need to save some more objects to be displayed in a museum.
I agree. The bodies have long decayed along with much of the ship itself. Anything of real value should be brought up, sold or preserved in a museum .
Letting go off the past is good....we lost so many things on land from our past....not everything must be preserved...its pointless... doesn't add any value to human species of the future
@@Jagdtiger46 We need to acknowledge the past and learn from it. The story of Titanic has much to teach every generation, and yet people keep making the same terrible mistake that led to the Titanic disaster. Case in point : The recent loss of the Ocean Gate experimental submarine.
@@mikehenson819 what can you learn from a shipwreck? There is nothing...all the information has been obtained already...its like keeping a damaged clock on your wall and saying you need it to gain knowledge about clocks....we dont taxidermy our grandparents and keep them so that we have to cherish the memories with them...we use photos instead....so accept the reality and move on
I think they should get more pieces of the ship too.
Ladies and gentlemen! It's your friend Mike Brady. From ocean liner designs.
With the railing gone it is like a tooth missing from their grin. However, one interesting thing is that maybe it will reveal new sections of the wreck yet unexplored.
Imposter!
Who? 😂
You can't be I'm Mike Brady from ocean liner designs. If you don't believe me ask napoleon who's in the ward next to mine.
@@helgaratbone1691🥸😎👈🏼
Really fascinating. Shortly before your comments at the end, I was thinking, at least we can still see her in whatever condition she's in. If she hadn't sunk, she wouldv'e been scrapped long ago, sharing the fate of the Olympic.
Considering bronze artifacts are still found from ancient Egypt and other bronze age empires, those propellers won't decay for a danged long time.
Used to be terrified of ships and the water. Your videos have actually helped me Mike. Now appreciate the time and effort in shipbuilding and the safety (sounds counter-intuitive, I know considering your videos on sinkings). Thanks and respect from a cold England!
That statue being rediscovered is very neat. The Titanic was rediscovered in 85, the year I was born, and that statue was rediscovered then but lost once more for my entire life, only now being rediscovered nearly 40 years later. Also a testament to just how massive the debris field is down there that even a statue like the Diana of Versailles can be lost. Also real neat to see life nearby, in some pictures of the rediscovered statue there is some small white crab looking thing.
I think it was a crime NOT to preserve RMS Olympic as a way to remember her sisters Titanic and Britannic, like how USS Nevada and USS Pennsylvania weren't preserved to memorize both their sister ships. Of course, when Titanic goes, the last ship of the class that will be in the best material condition to remain will be HMHS Britannic. Yes, the wreck will change every decade or so, but at least she is among one of the best documented shipwrecks out there. That way when she does go, we have all of the videos, photomosaics, illustration pictures and more to remember her by.
Dude your channel is the best! Thank you for all the coverage, love watching all these titanic videos
They should bring up that railing for “evidence” then it can be released to a titanic museum. It is part of the most iconic sights of the titanic
There is no way that would be viable, it would crumble up long before it reached the surface.
Listening and watching this has almost reduced me to tears. I love maritime history, and you cannot deny nature, but to lose something so significant to history makes me want to cry.
2:27 I'm glad SOMEBODY is saying this! It completely seemed like human interaction to me
That's a great bit photo manipulation and work on how it will degrade over time. You really hit the nail on the head there at the end that for all those who think it's horrible that it's degrading, the simple reality is, it would have been scrapped, same as Olympic. And this provides some excellent forensics, in a way, to see how that breakdown occurs. It also keeps alive the memory of something we should _never_ forget the lessons from. To echo some other comments here as well, it's too bad the Britannic's wreck doesn't get quite as much attention given it's in a pretty good state, and _much_ easier to get to.
Such a beautiful video 🥲
Saw you on the 3 part documentary on tv the other month👍best one ive seen in a long time.
I'm aware that the ship is still a hot topic even 114 years later. But the constant visits to the site is slowly accelerating the total collapse of the ship. When it was finally found in 1985 it had spent 73 in total darkness which actually kept it preserved save for the natural elements consuming it. Long story short it's the natural curiosity of us that's speeding up the eventual disappearance of Titanic. Had it remained lost like it was from 1912 to 1985 the remains would have lasted a very long time longer
Great analysis Mike. Most military modern vessels are designed for a 25-30 year service life with material selection and maintenance regime planned around that life cycle. So as a commercial vessel I'm astonished she is still in this condition. To me, Titanic's beautiful legacy will always be the SOLAS Convention. Thank you for keeping her breathtaking elegance alive.
I've always wondered why submersibles chose to land on the roof....seems counterproductive? I'm sure there is a reason? Lovely work as always Mike
Great question, id love to know too
Probably just bragging rights and 'because they can'.
I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful that I "spawned" in an era with the technology to not only see 1985+ footage of Titanic, but to see her in all her glory with the 3D scans, explorations etc. It's an incredible and fleeting part of history for me (as a lil Titanic nerd myself), that I get to witness some of these things in real time.
However I can't help but be envious of my dad being able to remember when Dr. Ballard initially found her.
Something else kind of interesting to think about is that you know that there are areas that are very well preserved inside the bow that, when they become exposed for a very brief period of time, will allow for a wealth of archaeological information if people are down there to record it.
Didn't know the railing was removable - always learning things on this channel!
What happened to his James Bond villain mustache? 😂😂😂
I think this was filmed earlier
It decayed away, like Titanic
It sank
I live in Oregon, where the wreck of the Peter Iredale, a four masted barque, ran aground in 1906. Her remains rest about four miles south of the Columbia River, and now the only thing that remains are the bow section's ribs. Learning about this ship, made me realized that Titanic would also suffer the same fate, only at a slower pace.
The only happy note is that Titanic is still going to survive anyone who is watching this from today's view
Very thought-provoking and it’s got me wondering how much internal footage exists,
Rooms, passageways etc or is it not possible to navigate robot cameras fully internally ?
There is quite a lot of internal footage of the Titanic, taken on one of James Cameron's dives and released in the documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss" from 2003.
Thanks Mike! What do you think will happen to the statue if it's salvaged? And as areas open up due to decay will crews try to go into currently inaccessible areas like the swimming pool?
I've been wondering about that too. As awesome as it would be to see rooms like the swimming pool I imagine that even if it wasn't completely destroyed there would be so much debris from above that it wouldn't be recognizable.
Our friend Mike Brady 🫂 here for when we need him the most.
Now that it has been found again, I think that the bronze statue should be recovered and put up on public display at a museum. Makes no sense to just leave it lying there on the sea floor. Same goes for any other interesting objects that can be recovered relatively easily. Bring them up and display them, I say.
it's a mass grave.
All the dives to the site are accelerating the corrosion. The Lusitania is in shallower warmer waters and hit the ground in a more catastrophic way, the Olympic too. And both arent degrading as fast. And before someone says "depth", the USS Johnson and USS Yorktown and Bismark were all found in excellent enough shape that their battle damage could be inspected.
HMHS Britannic ! Why not more videos about sister ship ? It is almost intact to this day. I believe I am not the only one who wants to see much more about this ship that is almost identical to Titanic
I'm going to steal Buzz Aldrin's words "Magnificent Desolation'' a little and say, Titanic's wreck is a _magnificent entropy._ Seeing it decay over a quarter of a century, ever since the 90's when I was a kid just really bends the mind and the feels like a form of time travel. I'm not sad, it looks beautiful. It's like a painful wound on history slowly healing as it disappears.
As a kid in the 1970's I saw a freshly grounded 300 foot freighter MV Vanlene run aground off Austin Island in British Columbia Canada with elevated bow and stern underwater. over the next 3 years I saw it get rustier, then break in two with bow poking above water until slipping below the surface the much more rustier deckhouse and smokestack disappearing under the surface 1 year later. Today The ships front half in shallow water is completely broken up from tides and storms The stern is apparently still intact due to being 100 feet down with less water turbulence.
The tragedy of the Titanic arguably made it vastly more infamous for sinking that it ever would have been famously if it hadn't
Such is a true for all things really. Nobody would remember the Hindenburg if it hadn't burned. Nobody would remember a lot of things if it didn't end under tragic circumstances.
Sitting eating lunch and the kids are glued to the TV so thanks 😂
When I started to learn about the Titanic one of my first thoughts was how at some point in time the ship will be a rust stain on the ocean floor. In 2012 when the wreck was still there my mind was blown but the thought still lingered. I never thought about the process of the decay which is upsetting but also fascinating in a weird way to learn about.
I think they should raise the 1st class statue. It would be a wonderful piece to preserve for the future to see. I know the morality of its a mass grave. I think we need to collect as much that can be taken for museums and research.
And the bow railing that came off. Hopefully it can be salvaged and displayed in one of Titanic Exhibitions.
Mike - you're doing a fantastic job with the Titanic videos. I recently fell down the rabbit hole (again, first time was twenty years ago) and have been reading and watching everything I can to learn more. I have a quick question: can you recommend a good overall, full history of ship theory, design, and building?
Britannic needs the same sort of documentation as her sister.
You presented this video about the Titanic so wonderfully. I found great comfort and peace listening to you. 😊
Thank you for this one ! I was born in '71 and grew up on the legend of the RMS TITANIC. I remember watching in awe when she was first found and explored. I've seen A Night To Remember 🚢 more times than I can remember 😅 and hurt over her gradual decay through the intervening years. I know she has to go 😔 just as all things, including us, must. But, all the hype had me sincerely saddened to believe it may happen during my lifetime. I didn't see how, but had become convinced enough 🥺. Your evaluation of how it will actually occur and the time it will take more closely matches what I've always believed or desperately wanted to believe. Though, I'll never be any closer to visiting the sight than I've ever been, I find great comfort in the thought she'll outlive me ! It's even better that she will likely still appear as a ship 🚢 when I eventually pass from this world. The TITANIC has been one of the very few constants in my life in an ever changing world 🌎. I really haven't wanted to bid her farewell. I'd much rather she see me out, just as her legend graced my childhood imagination, than to find myself fated to witness her inevitable end. I think you've predicted her future coarse very well and thoughtfully. Thank you sir !
I’m torn with the thought that we need to bring up as much as possible before it’s lost. Then I feel like it should just all be left alone. It is a grave sight after all. Maybe bring up stuff like that little statue, bottles and other artifacts so they can be seen and admired.
Petition to get Mike Brady on an expedition to Titanic's wreck:
It’s nice that nature is reclaiming it back. That’s the best thing 🎉
How is it 'reclaiming' when Titanic is a man made object??
@@Sabrinajaine Where do you think all the materials its made of came from?
The “canning” you see on preserved battleships is not from forces of the water or waves, it’s meant to look that way from thermal expansion and contraction between the joints.
Why am I genuinely upset about the railing ?😭🤦🏻♂️ like it’s not going to affect my daily life whatsoever but I compulsively felt upset and that my year has been ruined by the news . I guess we all knew in the back of our heads that she’s not going to last forever, but still feeling passionate about something like this gives one a sense of false protection I guess. There’s nothing we could do for her all the way down there but we hate to see her getting damaged even further 😢
I keep wondering when the wreck of the Great Lakes ore carrier Edward Y Townsend will be found. By all accounts it is quite close to the Titanic wreck. The Townsend broke in two and sank while being towed to Spain in 1960 for scrapping. Her sister ship the Daniel J Morrel broke in half during a lake Huron storm in 1966. Ironically those ships made of very similar steel to the Titanic which was brittle in cold water(Morell built in 1906). I just find it fascinating that two shipwrecks might be so close to each other.
Hello my friend Mike Brady! Cheers from Perth
Oi, go to bed.
Hey mate I'm also in Perth Western Australia
@@speedwaynutt Awsome! I'm NOR
Me too!
I joined your channel about a year ago now, because of the titanic. I love your channel, and have started to be obsessed with ships.
Thank you so so much for this video. I'm having a terrible shift, but this is perfect for my autistic brain !! ❤
Mike, you're a true expert on the Titanic! Keep up with the research and these excellent presentations. Your videos are well assembled, edited and overall presented, great work and appreciated!
I wonder if when there comes the time where The Titanic will reach a point of no return, where expeditions utilizing ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) can no longer be safely navigated throughout the interior of the remains of the ship and will there have to be be a serious discussion about the ethics of removing significantly more pieces of whatever remains in terms of objects of great historical value that can still be recovered for the purposes of historical preservation before it is too late. Deciding wether or not to essentially take anything and everything of historical and thus monetary value that still remains on the Titanic, and if this is right and justified so that the ship can be furthered preserved by the objects that we recover for future generations and the ethics of doing so or, if we should just leave her to decay into ultimately nothing, along with every remaining object of potential historical value and settle for what we have now to remember her by.
Great video
18:57 I’ve noticed this with the Alkimos shipwreck. The only thing left now is the engine and the boilers sticking out of the water, the rest is now submerged
This video brought new evidence that made me reconsider my thoughts on retrieving parts of the ship for future generations.
If a haircut can survive all the way from the 1840's to you right now, I'm sure Titanic can do wonders. 😉
Thank you for this channel. What a fantastic work !
One thing to remember about the entirety of the ship's exterior: it's almost all covered in lead paint and under that is mill scale. Any damaged bits will have popped that paint off & warped the crystal structure of the steel, allowing saltwater in & also bacteria. Metal can "splinter" and microscopically separate under certain forces along these crystal "grains" which is why any areas of sinking & submersible damage seem to be dissolving faster. Areas with less distortions & stress on the steel are going to last a lot longer, as they still have structural integrity, plus that mill scale, and possibly residual lead paint. If you look at any modern steel ship still afloat, you'll see rust anywhere the paint is damaged, or from drain pipes without interior coatings. One other factor at play here to a lesser degree is the uniformity of the steel. The steel making process for these larger hull plates was far less sophisticated than the processes used even just a few decades later (see any preserved ship!) which means the alloying may not be totally uniform. This will have a small effect on which parts of the plating start corroding & being eaten away first. If the ship was in warmer water, this effect would be more of an issue. Great video!
Hello there my friend Mike Brady. 🚢👋😍
The fact that the propellers will remain for possible millenia is actually quite inspiring!
Even if they're standing alone in a patch of rust, they'll still be driving the ship's memory forward in time.
This is why artifacts should be retrieved as soon as possible.
Amazing videos, awesome channel.
Who was it that said it would be easier to drain the ocean than to try to raise the Titanic? That puts into perspective how it's not a practical thing that we could do at this point.
Yet another great video from Mike and the team Loved it
Oh, I need this. Really poorly today. I bought a replica of Diana!
It's amazing there's not more damage!!! Been over 100 years since she sank. Most folks don't realize how violent a sinking is.