How They Really Discovered The Wreckage Of The Titanic

The harsh reality of many scientific expeditions is the need for money. Sure, explorers and researchers need to have passion, education, and dedication to their cause, but it's often all for naught if their wallets are empty. A ship, after all, needs fuel, a crew, equipment, and any manner of other supplies ready before it can even leave port. But, for Bob Ballard, his 1985 trip to find the Titanic had a somewhat surprising and, for a long time, very secretive funder.

Blame it on the Cold War. According to CNN, Ballard was actually approached by the U.S. military to find the wrecks of two submarines, the Thresher and the Scorpion, which happened to also be in the north Atlantic. After finding the two nuclear vessels, he was essentially free to search for the hopefully nearby Titanic. Given that he found the older ship, it was a convenient cover during the tense years remaining between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

During the expedition, National Geographic reports that Ballard was actually put back on duty as a Navy officer, though of course he wasn't able to disclose that at the time. It also only left him with 12 days to look for the Titanic, given all of the time needed to locate and document the submarines.

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