New technology shedding light on Shackleton's ill-fated ship
New technology is shedding light on an old mystery.
Montreal researchers have uncovered details about the Endurance, which sunk in Antarctica over a century ago.
After more than 100 years submerged in the depths, images have emerged of Sir Ernest Shackelton's ill-fated wreck thanks to new subsea scanning technology, 3D reconstruction and a team of researchers.
The vessel can now be seen as if murky waters were drained away.
"Cameras and laser scanners were put on an underwater vehicle, an autonomous underwater robot, and, once the wreckage was found, one of the first tasks is actually mapping the ship," said McGill University professor James Forbes.
Forbes said ensuring the robots' accurate navigation was key.
"We collect laser point cloud data and we stitch together various laser images, which in turn enhances the navigation solution," said Forbes. "If you have a very accurate navigation solution, then you can build a very accurate, three dimensional model of the wreck."
The Endurance went down in the Weddell Sea during Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition. After getting trapped by ice, it sank more than 3,000 metres.
However, not a single life was lost.
In 2022, the wreckage was discovered, and with today's advances, human touches such as plates and even Shackelton's boot can be seen.
"There was a 3D photogrammetry model created using the images that were taken with the Voyis camera, and what's really exciting about that is then you have this 3D model, so it's more than just a 2D picture," said Forbes.
Forbes said the technology could go beyond shipwrecks and lend itself to any number of submarine inspection tasks, such as underwater bridge and turbine inspections.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's response to Trump deportation plan a key focus of revived cabinet committee
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people has the Canadian government looking at its own border.
Who should lead the Liberals? 'None of the above,' poll finds
As questions loom over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a new Nanos Research poll commissioned for CTV News says a quarter of Canadians say none of the potential candidates appeal to them.
New technology solves mystery of late First World War soldier's flower sent home to Canada
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
U.S. election maps: How did 2024 compare to 2020 and 2016?
Though two states have yet to be officially called, the U.S. election map has mostly been settled. How does it compare with the previous two elections?
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day: What's open and closed in Canada?
While banks and post offices will be closed nationwide on Remembrance Day, shops and businesses could be open depending on where you live in Canada.
Judicial recount for Surrey-Guildford confirms B.C. NDP's majority
The B.C. New Democrats have a majority government of 47 seats after a judicial recount in the riding of Surrey-Guildford gave the party's candidate 22 more votes than the provincial Conservatives.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.