@rowancheung: Scientists can now live on the ocean floor. DEEP just installed Vanguard, the first open-ocean underwater research lab deployed in the U.S. in 40 years, on the seafloor of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The schoolbus-sized habitat sits 56 feet down and can house up to four researchers for stretches of seven days or more, tethered to a bright yellow surface float that feeds it air, power, and communications. The big win is the amount of time researchers can spend underwater. Living down there for a week at a time allows scientists get six to eight hours of fieldwork a day instead of the roughly one hour a surface dive allows. That means far more continuous study of coral health and ocean conditions. But Vanguard is just the pilot… Next comes Sentinel, a bigger, modular habitat — meaning sections can link together like building blocks, so it can scale up for a longer, more permanent human presence beneath the waves. And this is all part of DEEP's stated mission: to make humans aquatic. This video was not sponsored, but s/o to @DEEP for sending us this awesome footage. Make sure to give them a follow to see what comes next!

Rowan Cheung

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Tuesday 07 July 2026 18:21:47 GMT