You Can Thank a Robot the Size of a Minivan
The Gulf of California averages roughly half a mile (1 kilometer) in depth, though it plunges much deeper in other locations. The Gulf is a relatively young body of water, formed just around 12.5 million years ago when the Baja Peninsula began to break away from the rest of the continent. The Gulf is also where several tectonic plates have split apart, forming four deep ocean basins that contain fascinating and little-studied features and lifeforms.
To explore what was down there, researchers used a remote operated vehicle (ROV) that helped map the ocean floor, take photos and samples, and deploy other scientific equipment. This robot, which is the size of a minivan, can dive up to 2.8 miles (4.500 kilometers) underwater.
