Brandon Jones

Oct. 15 – 18:
Brandon Jones Answers Your Questions

I am a fifth-grade student, and my class is studying about the deep sea and hydrothermal vents and about the mission. I would like to ask you these questions: (1) What is Alvin made of? (like metal or titanium. (2) How do marine animals adapt to their environment?

Joni, Princess Nahi'ena'ena Elementary School, Lahaina, Hawaii

Dear Joni,

The actual sphere that houses the scientists and pilot in Alvin is made of very thick titanium metal. This metal is used primarily to withstand the extreme pressure that occurs in the deep ocean where Alvin does most of its work.

Marine animals that live at the hydrothermal vents have three major, physical things to worry about ... extreme temperatures (hot and cold), extreme pressure, and toxic chemicals from the vents. They have special proteins in their bodies that help them deal with the temperatures and pressure (a lot of ongoing research on this cruise is dedicated to finding out more information about those proteins). To help them live in the toxic environment that engulfs the vents, most of these animals have bacteria that live inside of them that break down the chemicals that would ordinarily be harmful.

What is it like to discover something new for the first time? How does it make you feel?

Luna Balderas, Middlesex High School, Saluda, VA

Dear Luna,

I personally haven’t discovered anything for the first time, but I have been here when other people have. It is a very exciting time for everyone involved. Just think if you discovered something that no one
else in the entire world had even thought about or seen, and all of a sudden, BAM!, you are famous for making this discovery (organism, system, geological structure, etc.). Whatever it is, you have “dibs” before anyone else. Your name goes down in history as the person who discovered “?”

Are you the only African-American on-board? How hard was it for you to reach your career goals? What is your specialty/major in college? — Curtis Thomas, Sussex Central High School, Georgetown, DE

Dear Curtis,

Yes, I am the only African-American on board the Atlantis. It was not difficult achieving my career goals, because with a God-given determination, I decided to let nothing stop me from getting to where I
am. It also helped that I had a family who encouraged me to chase my dreams. My undergraduate education was in Biology. My graduate studies are focused on the recruitment and patch dynamics of blue crab larvae and post-larvae in the Delaware Bay.

What were your interests in high school and what would you suggest that students take if they are interested in pursuing a career in marine science?

HS Students at Central Florida Community College

Dear Students,

My interest in high school was definitely oceanography. I would suggest that anyone interested in a marine science career should search the Web for marine opportunities for high school students. There
are many programs available for high school students with and interest in marine science, including internships and summer programs. The opportunities are many. Students interested in a marine science career should focus their studies on all the general sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) and
definitely algebra and calculus.

What is it really like to exist in a submersible with three other people and so much equipment when the sub isn’t very big to begin with?

Gateway Regional 7th Grade Science class, Woodbury Heights, NJ

Dear Gateway Regional,

You really do not even think about the fact that you are in such a small space with all of that equipment, because there is so much going on outside that you are focused on (all the chimneys, animals, rock
formations, etc.). I guess you just keep telling yourself that it is only an 8-hour trip tops, so you might as well make the most of it.

My 9th grade class has a question that we would like to ask you. Since you are down there for nine hours, how do you go to the bathroom? And if you do, where do you go? Are you a co-ed crew? Thank you.

Students at Westford Academy, Westford, Massachusetts

Dear Westford Academy Students,

Alvin is equipped with human range extenders for going to the bathroom (in other words, the little urinal bottles that you get at the hospital). Currently, all of the Alvin pilots are male, but the scientists who go down in the sub can be either gender. So if one scientist has to go to the bathroom, then the other holds up a blanket (like a screen) to give that person some privacy.

We would like to know what specifically drew you personally to researching deep hydrothermal vents? Several of us in Oceanography are interested in marine sciences as future careers, but are very curious about your personal interests in researching the organisms of the abyss and observing first-hand what many are calling today the site of Life’s own evolution.

Oceanography Students at Pansophia Academy, Coldwater, Michigan

Since I don’t personally study the vents, I’m going to refer your question to Dr. Cary for response. So please check out his Q&A area.

My name is Devin Henderson (girl) and my 6th grade classmates and I are doing reports on the crew members on the mission A Deep-Sea Odyssey. My crew member is Dr. Cary, but I also read your job on the mission. I am from Ohio, near Lake Erie, and read that you had been there and my question is, How is the sea life you are seeing now different or similar to the sea life you saw at Lake Erie? — Devin Henderson

Dear Devin,

The big difference between Lake Erie life and hydrothermal vent life is that Lake Erie is fresh water (no salt) and it is probably only 50 to 60 ft deep on average. Hydrothermal vents are in the ocean, so the
animals that live there are saltwater animals. Also, the vents that we will be studying on this cruise are more that 8,000 ft down. So the animals that live there have to be able to deal with lack of light, extreme temperatures (both cold and hot), lots of pressure, and toxic chemicals. None of the animals that live in Lake Erie have to worry about such physical problems.

Brandon what is it like going to the deep-sea for the first time? Also, have you ever felt a live Pompeii worm if so what do they feel like. If not, do you want to touch one? — Sally Howard

Dear Sally,

I went to the deep sea for the first time in May 2000. I cannot begin to describe to you the feeling of awe that you would feel if you got to dive in a submarine. I mean if you stepped out of the sub, you could either freeze to death, be burned beyond recognition (at a vent), crushed by the pressure, or die from the poisons that are spewing out of the chimneys. When you think about the only thing that is separating you from all of that is a 6-ft. titanium sphere, then you begin to have a new respect for the life that exists there.
I have touched a Pompeii worm, but it was not alive. Most of the animals that we bring up from the vents are not alive when they reach the surface. Most of them die from the change in pressure that occurs on the way back up from the bottom.

Who is Shellie Bench and what does she do to contribute to “Extreme 2001: A Deep Sea Odyssey?” My school report is on her. My class was chosen out of 180 schools to be on the conference call with Dr. Cary.

David F.

Dear David F.,

First of all, congratulations on being chosen to have a call with Dr. Cary! It should be very exciting for you and your school. Here’s a brief description of who I am, and why I am on the Extreme 2001 expedition.
I am a research associate working in Robert Feldman’s group. He is also on the ship. We work for a company that makes a very high capacity DNA sequencing instrument. We have brought one of those instruments on board the ship to be able to sequence biological samples that are brought up from the hydrothermal vents by Alvin. We are doing this for two different reasons. Fist, because it has never been done before, and we want to prove that it can be done. Second, it will help the scientists, like Dr. Cary, get a very detailed look at samples that are collected by Alvin before all the dives are complete. With this information, the scientists can more easliy make decisions about if they need return to previous dive sites to get more samples. Before this expedition, the scientist would have had to wait until they took the samples back on land to see the DNA sequence. Then, if they decided that they needed more samples, they would have to wait until the next time they were scheduled to work on Atlantis, which is often not for many months. My exact role on board is to be the resident expert on the DNA sequencer, which is called a “MegaBACE 1000”. I’m responsible for making sure it is working, and that the samples are properly prepared to run on it. I have been working with these instruments for two years, and I’m really lucky to be able to be the first person running one out at sea. Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Shellie Bench

	I’m a freshman at Westford Academy. I was wondering exactly what chemicals cause organisms to have the property bioluminescence. Does it have anything to do with the DNA of those organisms? Thanks for your time!! — Arianna Kenney, Westford Academy
	Dear Arianna, Most organisms that bioluminesce produce a type of protein that actually glows. Like in ctenophores (jellyfish relatives) when they are excited for some reason, those proteins are activated. Some other animals, like certain species of squid, have colonies of bacteria in their “light organs” that actually do the glowing for the squid.

How do you know how to get back to the same spot under the ocean? Question 2: What kind of music do you all listen to? (Submtted by Matt Boyle)

How many years did you have to go to school to be involved in this project? What kind of basic training do all of you have to have? (Submitted by Natasha Lucas)

Will you experiment with any kinds of sharks? (Submitted by LeMonte Parks)

Can we get you to ship us a souvenir for our class... we’d really like one of those vents or a clam that gets 12 inches long. (Submitted by Corey Burns)

How deep have you actually gone this time? (Submitted by Drew Ballard)

How cold is it getting on your dives? (Submitted by A. J. Sumpter)

How do you get water while you are diving? (Submitted by Jesus Gomez)

From the 8th Grade Class of Donna Kenestrick at Brogden Middle School in Durham, North Carolina

Dear Matt — Alvin has a sophisticated navigation system (brand new) that allows it to be tracked in real time along the ocean floor. So it can basically follow the tracks that had been made before (only on the same dive, not from dive to dive ... yet). Alvin used to find its positon using a grid of XY coordinates, kind of like LORAN & GPS onboard ships.

Dear Natasha — To be a marine biologist I’ve gone through 4 years of college and about 4.5 years of graduate school. So almost 9 years total. That is my personal experience. In order to dive in Alvin, each person must be briefed on the safety equipment, cameras, computers, imaging equipment, and general operating equipment of the sub. Safety is of utmost importance aboard the ship and the sub.

Dear Lemonte — We will not be doing any experiments with sharks on this cruise. Sharks are usually not found at the depths and environments that we will be investigating.

Dear Corey — Research on the clams and mussels is not on the schedule for this cruise. The scientists are very careful to collect only the few organisms they need to conduct their analyses.

Dear Drew — Each dive will be about 8,000 ft or about 1.5 miles down.

Dear A.J. — It gets to be about 50°F inside of the sub once you are on the bottom. Some people bring wool blankets and socks to keep warm.

Dear Jesus — There are special bottles called Niskin bottles that can be opened and closed at any depth that a scientist wishes.

Dear Matt — We listen to all kinds of music out here on the ship and in the sub. Everyone out here has theie own CDs or Mp3s that they listen to. You can find any kind of music out here from lounge, classical, rap, gospel, rock, jazz, R&B, progressive, etc.

Our eighth grade class is currently studying the oceans. We would like to know “How much dissolved CO2 and O2 is available for the organisms living near a vent as compared to conditions near the ocean surface?” — Doug Harrell

Doug — I’ve handed this off to my buddy Brian Glazer. He’s also a Ph.D. student at the University of Delaware College of Marine and Earth Studies and a member of the Extreme 2001 science team. His expertise is in this area. — Brandon

Dear Doug,

Good question. As in most parts of the ocean, the cold bottom waters surrounding the vents are near saturation for dissolved O2, somewhere around 340 micromolar at 2°C. But the hot water that is actively venting from a chimney carries very little O2, if any at all. Instead we see significant concentrations of reduced forms of Fe & H2S. CO2 concentrations are also high in the vent waters, providing a significant source of inorganic carbon for the chemoautotrophs living there. It’s the mixing of the reducing vent waters with the oxidizing surrounding ambient waters that sets up most of the interesting redox reactions we are studying. Defining these gradients between O2 & H2S is also very important when characterizing the organisms that live there, especially for those like Alvinella pompejana that span the transition.

Brian Glazer

How are specimens protected from different pressures as they are brought up from the seafloor?

Elaine Weil, Sussex Central High School, Georgetown, DE

Dear Elaine,

Most of the specimens are not protected as they are brought up from the vents, which means they usually are not alive when we get them. However, the vent crabs seem to be the only organisms that survive the change in pressure, and after a few days seem to be okay with living at atmospheric pressure.

	What kind of music do you listen to? — Justin Guy, Sussex Central High School, Georgetown, DE
	Dear Justin, We listen to all types of music including gospel, classical, R&B, rap, go-go, rock, lounge, progressive, etc.

The 2001 Web site says that Alvin’s manipulators can lift 150 pounds, but the 2000 Web site says that Alvin’s manipulators can lift 250 pounds. Which is correct?

Walter, Wickford Middle School

Dear Walter,

The left arm of Alvin can lift about 150 lbs. when it is fully extended. Alvin’s right arm can lift about 100 lbs. fully extended. (So the maximum weight that can be lifted by a single manipulator is 150 pounds; collectively, the two manipulators can lift 250 lbs.) The arms can lift a little more weight when they are not fully extended. It’s kind of like your arm. It is more difficult for you to pick up something when your arm is fully extended, but a little easier when your arm is bent at the elbow.

I am a sixth grade student. I would like to ask you a question. How do animals survive in the cold water?

Rachael

Dear Rachael,

Some animals have special cold-resistant proteins inside of their bodies (like antifreeze) that keep their body systems functioning at very cold temperatures.

I was interested in how the Pompeii worm can survive in extreme temperatures. What type of advancements in science do you think could be made if the Pompeii worm is researched more over the next couple of years?

Ashley McCaleb, Phoenixville High School, Phoenixville, PA

Ashley — I’v forwarded your question over to Dr. Barb Campbell to answer since she is studying the Pompeii worm. — Brandon

Dear Ashley,

As you know from the Web site, our major objective on the Extreme 2001 cruise is to collect data to find out how the Pompeii worm survives in these extreme temperatures. Our abilities to answer this
question are increasing with each cruise geared to studying these worms. For instance, on this cruise we will collect worms from different environments (hotter and cooler) and preserve their nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) for analysis at home. Once we determine their genomic capabilites, we will then concentrate on certain proteins that these worms can make. I expect that we will express proteins that are able to withstand high temperatures and pressures, and may be useful for industrial purposes. In addition, the adaptations of the worm’s physiology to these higher temperatures will undoubtedly advance our understanding of heat tolerance in animals — past, present, and future. The Earth naturally goes through long cycles of changes in temperature (for instance, we’ve all heard of the ice age!). Any increase in our understanding of how animals survive in extreme temperatures would be beneficial. Hope this helps in your understanding of what we do!

Dr. Barb Campbell

I’m a student at South High, and I also am a student of Mrs. Clark’s and I’m enjoying the experience of learning more about marine biology and finding out more things I didn’t know about before! What was the biggest thing you are glad you accomplished in high school that helps you today
in your studies?? — Elice, South High School, Grade 11, Springfield, OH

Good to hear from a fellow wildcat! Tell Mrs. Clark that I said hello. I’m not sure I could pick out one thing that I did in high school that is helping me today. I think that it was my entire high school experience
(graduating with honors, basketball, band, clubs, etc.) that have now allowed me to be a well-rounded person, which in turn has enabled me to do many different things within the field of marine biology.

	Why do you like the ocean?
	I like the ocean because there is so much of it that we do not understand. It is truly the undiscovered territory on planet Earth. I am not sure if we will ever discover everything there is to know about the ocean, but it sure is fun trying to understand as much as we can.

Where do you go the bathroom if you have to go? Also, is there a weight limit for the submarine? — Meg Popolizio and John Healy, Westford Academy

There are hospital urinal bottles (human range extenders) that are aboard Alvin if you have to go to the bathroom. They kind of tell you not to drink a whole lot before you get into the sub. There is a weight limit for the sub. It is hardly ever exceeded. But each person that is getting in the sub and all the equipment that the sub will use for a particular dive is weighed before the sub goes down.

How many scientists go down in Alvin at one time? What are the roles of each of the scientists during the dive? Enjoying the experience. Thanks for bringing us along. — Victoria Wenson, Science Teacher Edmonton Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan

Dear Victoria,

Two scientists and one pilot go down in Alvin at a time. Each scientist is responsible for various camera and video footage, general observations, assisting the pilot when asked, making notes, etc. Everyone is really
following a plan once in the sub, and the scientists are observers and notetakers for the most part.... Great to have you all along!

I just wanted to know what the toxic chemistry of the deep sea has to do with life above the ocean and how does it affect us? — Jamie Greenland, Phoenixville Area High School, Phoenixville PA

What scientists are trying to find out about the toxic chemistry in the deep ocean has to do with the proteins and/or bacteria that some animals have that allow them to live in these toxic environments. Knowing more about the structure of those proteins or bacteria may help us in the fields of biotechnology, medicine, etc. Scientists are also interested in how these organisms live at hydrothemal vents because it is believed that the early Earth had many similar characteristics to those of hydrothermal vents. So there may be some insight to what early life was like on Earth, once we learn more about vent organisms.

	How does the fangtooth get food if it is too big to eat. My class is also one of the shools that got picked for the phone call.
	The fangtooth is an opportunistic eater. It has a huge set of jaws and a large gut, so when it does encounter some type of food item, then it will be able to grab on to it. At the depth that fangtooths live, they do not encounter food very often, so they must make the most of every opportunity.

	How does Alvin retrieve the iron ballasts after it begins to rise? Also, what type of training must a pilot go through? Thanks for all of your work! — Jessica
	I’m going to pass your question along to one of the Alvin pilots to answer. So please keep an eye out for the pilot’s Q&A session.

	I am a Junior at Phoenixville Area High School and I was wondering what are the risks when under that much pressure and what precautions the crew takes while down in the Alvin? — Caroline Weiss, Phoenixville Area High School, Mr. Barron
	I’m also going to pass your question along to one of the Alvin pilots to answer. So please keep an eye out for the pilot’s Q&A session.

Is there a marine lab in Los Angeles that we can visit that has any of the marine life we are learning about from Extreme 2000? — Mrs. Held’s class at Maimonides Academy

Dear Mrs. Held’s Class,

Your best bet is to check the Web for any marine labs in your area that may have preserved specimens from hydrothermal vents. I’m sure that perhaps someone at SCRIPPS or Monterey Bay may have some specimens, but I’m not sure how far they are from where you are.

	I am a 4th grade student at Maimonides Academy. What do the Pompeii worms eat and do they live in any other place on Earth? What do the divers eat on the dives? Thank you. — Daniella Lent
	Dear Daniella, Pompeii worms eat little bugs called microbes that live on the surface of the chimneys and in their tubes. Pompeii worms only live at the bottom of the ocean, specifically at hydrothermal vents. People that dive in Alvin eat a lunch consisting of a PB&J sandwich, a “mystery meat” sandwich, a candy bar, and a bottle of water.

Hello, I am Tara from Westford Academy. My class found out the average velocity for Alvin going down at 0.75 mph. Why do you travel at such a slow rate going down to the bottom of the ocean floor?

Dear Tara,

Alvin moves at such a slow pace is because it needs to conserve power for all the scientific activities it has to do once it reaches the bottom of the ocean. Be sure to check out the pilot’s Q&A session, too, for more information about Alvin’s operation.

	How does it feel to be able to explore the depths of the ocean? Is your crew ever in danger during your voyages, what would happen if a storm hit, and a sub couldn't assend from the water? Anyways hope you guys are having fun, thanks for the cool info! — Steve DePiro
	Dear Steve, Exploring the depths of the ocean is an awesome experience that I can not begin to put into words. That fact that life can even exist in these conditions is amazing. Whenever the Alvin is down, something dangerous could always happen. That is why the pilots and observers are instructed, in a very thorough manner, as to what to do during an emergency.

	Hello, our names are Bobby and Brandon from Westford Academy in Massachusetts. We were just wondering who won the ping pong tournament last voyage. We can not believe that in such a small space there can be a ping pong table. — Later, Brandon and Bobby
	Dear Bobby and Brandon, There have been several cruises (and several ping pong tournaments) since Extreme 2000, but Martial Talliefert won the tournament on the Extreme 2000 cruise. Also, you may be thinking the ping pong table is in the sub (Alvin). The table is actually onboard the mother ship (Atlantis). You are correct in realizing that a ping pong table is way too big for the Alvin.

	Hi, my name is Tim Furcillo and I am a student here at Westford Academy and our 9th grade science class would like to know why Alvin moves at such a slow pace???
	Dear Tim, The main answer as to why Alvin moves at such a slow pace is because it needs to conserve power for all the scientific activities it has to do once it reaches the bottom of the ocean.

	Hi, my name is Tom Gagnon. I am from Westford Acadamy. I was just wondering if there were any relationships going on between crew members. Thank you.
	Dear Tom, I’m not a liberty to say anything about personal relationships between crew members. I doubt anyone has any time for much of that kind of stuff. Most people are really busy with their respective daily schedules. You would be amazed at how busy we all are from sunup to beyond sundown.

	Hello, my name is Alice and I’m a freshman at Westford Academy in Massachusetts. I would like to know why the submersible goes down so slowly. Is it so you can observe stuff? or is it something to do with pressure changes? Thanks.
	Dear Alice, The reason Alvin dives so slowly is because it needs to conserve power for when it gets on the bottom. Alvin pilots do not drive to the bottom; they just use the weight of the sub (plus some added weights) to sink to the bottom. Then they drop the weights to float back up. They try to conserve power whenever they can.

My name is Emily. I am a student at Westford Academy and I was just wondering: how can you collect samples of tubeworms, etc., and study them (by taking them out of their original environment) without damaging them?

Dear Emily,

That is a good question. Unfortunately, most of the animals, like tubeworms, that we study do not survive being taken out of their natural environments. So we try to do the best that we can with the samples that we
get. Gathering genetic or physiological information does not require a live animal. However, there are experiments that are actually run at the vent sites, and these focus on the animals in their natural habitat.

	Hello. my name is Erin Shepherd and I am from Westford Academy,Westford Massachusetts. I have been thinking about your situation in your small area and I was wondering if you had to train for this. I know that sales people sometimes have to go through training with dealing with people; do you have to train on dealing with confined spaces? — Erin
	Dear Erin, There is no special training on being in a confined space before diving in the sub. Most people know if they will be able to handle that kind of situation before they even get into the sub. The training that we receive is mostly safety-based.

	Has anyone on the ship every gotten claustrophobic??? — Laura Mazzola
	Dear Laura, Most people know whether they are claustrophobic or not before they even get into the sub. Also, before anyone dives, they have a 20 – 25 minute briefing in the sub while it is out of the water. People can get an idea of what it is like to be in the sub before it actually goes into the water.

My question is: How do you fit a ping-pong table in that small area comfortably? Also in the video why
were you wearing the goggles all the time? Thank You. — From Westford Academy in Westford, MA

Dear Westford Student,

The ping pong table is actually onboard Alvin’s mother ship (Atlantis). As you guessed correctly, there is barely room for three people inside the sub, let alone a ping pong table. As for the goggles, there are safety regulations that have to be followed when you work in certain laboratories. When there are chemicals and things of that nature involved, it is best to wear eye protection.

	Hi, we are two students from Westford MA. We were wondering if you can feel the pressure changing as you descend through the ocean in Alvin.
	Dear Westford Students, The sphere of the Alvin is pressurized, so that it maintains atmospheric pressure all the time. So you really do not feel any pressure changes. Maybe only slight ones like in an airplane.

How many times has Alvin gone down into the ocean? — Electra A. and Laura M., Westford Academy

Dear Electra and Laura,

Alvin has recorded over 3,000 dives since its first dive in 1964.

	How do the organisms on the bottom of the ocean floor reproduce? — Westford Academy Student
	Dear Westford Student, A lot of organisms that live at vent sites are sessile (they do not move), so they reproduce by releasing their sperm or eggs into the water and they mix there (clams, mussels, tubeworms, etc.). Other animals, like crabs, actually go through internal fertilization (male impregnates a female).

	I am a student at Westford Academy, and I was wondering, if the organisms at the bottom of the ocean do such a good job adjusting to where the live, would they be able to adjust if you took them out of their element? — Erin Shepherd
	Dear Erin, None of the organisms that live at the vents would survive very long if they were taken out of their natural environments. They have evolved to live under those certain conditions and nowhere else. Just like your pet fish could not survive at the vents because it has evolved to live in its own specific habitat.

	This is Melisa, Alyssa, and Haley. We’re freshmen at Westford Academy, MA. We would like to know what is the 17-foot space between the outer walls of Alvin and the 6-foot space for the hull used for?
	Dear Melisa, Alyssa, and Haley, I’m not really clear on your question about the 17-ft. space between the outer walls, but the 6-ft. space is the diameter of the sphere where the controls, the pilot, and the scientists are actually housed.

Hi. I am a ninth grader from Westford, Massachusetts and I would like to know what kind of organisms the things on the bottom of the ocean are and if you take them out of the sea to see what they are made
up of and also to know what they do to other creatures from down there(like fight and kill
and eat each other). Thank you. — Jessica from Westford Academy

Dear Jessica,

Since vent scientists cannot operate outside of the sub at actual vent sites, they must bring animals and other samples up from the vents to study them more intensely aboard the mother ship (where the scientists have access to necessary equipment). Sometimes scientists observe animals like vent crabs eating little pieces of tube worms, mussels, or clams, much like ordinary crabs do in shallower waters.

Hey, we are two students from Westford Academy from Massachusetts. Our question to you is “Have you personally discovered any new species, and if so did you name them and what do they look like?” Thanx.

Avinash Purohit and Jordan Bissonette

Dear Avinash and Jordan,

No, unfortunately I have not discovered any new species, but I have been out here when people have, and it is really exciting!

Hi I am a 9th grade student at Westford Academy I was wondering if the crew is nervous when you are going down? Are you afraid that the sub might falter, and you will be in an extreme emergency?

Matt Culbertson, Westford Academy, Westford, Massachusetts

Dear Matt,

Good question. I’m not sure how nervous the crew is, but the scientists are usually a little anxious and excited about the dive. The crew are so well trained and so confident about their respective jobs, it is hard to tell if they are nervous on the inside or not. When the sub is on the bottom, they certainly are very alert and ready for anything that may happen.

	Didn’t Alvin also discover the placement of the Titanic ruins? — Student at Westford Academy
	Dear Westford student, Alvin made a series of dives to photograph the wreck and deploy a robotic vehicle called Jason Jr. to investigate the wreckage.

	Does it ever get boring going to the ocean floor? I mean, 9 hours on a small submersible would kinda get boring after awhile, wouldn't it? Thanks! — Monica Pfister, Westford Academy
	Dear Monica, Believe it or not, there is a CD player on board Alvin, so lots of times we listen to music or just talk about the dive plans on our way down to the bottom. Once on the bottom, there is so much to do and see that before long it is time to return to the surface.

	Have you ever been down in Alvin before? If so, what was your mission? — Pat, Westford Academy
	My first dive in Alvin was in May 2000. The main goal of that mission was to retrieve crab traps that had been set the day before and collect live crabs that were crawling around the vents. We used a piece of equipment called a slurp gun to catch the live crabs.

Hi Mr. Brandon,

How are you doing? It has been a while since we last met. I hope we can get together soon so that you can tell me all about your hydrothermal vent trip. Before then, I’d like to ask you a few questions. Are vent crabs good to eat? Have you tried them? What do tubeworms feel like? Have a fantastic cruise! — Cody Q. Rowe (5 yrs. old), Newville, PA, and Columbia, MD

Dear Cody,

Good to hear from you, buddy! Personally I have never eaten any vent crabs. I really do not think anyone could eat a vent crab because they would probably taste like sulfur, and that is just bad all the way around. Now, I have touched a tubeworm, and they kind of feel like giant kielbasa sausages, except they are not smooth, but kind of rough and fleshy. Thanks for those great questions and make sure you tell your parents I said hello. — Brandon

	On Alvin, when you depart from the ship to the bottom of the ocean, you are dealing with a great deal of pressure. Is there any emergency procedure that you go through if the pressure is to great? Example: If water is beginning to leak through. — Chris
	The Alvin pilots always monitor the sub closely throughout the entire dive. In the highly, unlikely event that a leak would occur, the dive would probably be aborted, and the sub would return immediately to the surface.

	When you are bringing things up from the ocean floor, how do you keep them from exploding? There is a HUGE pressure change and the animals can’t adapt that quickly. — 9th Grade Westford Academy Student
	Most of the organisms that we bring back do not live, and they do not explode. As a matter of fact, the crabs and giant tubeworms can be kept alive once back on the surface if they are immediately placed in pressure aquaria aboard ship.

Hello, I am a freshman at Westford Academy, my science class and I are studying the deep sea and the “Extreme 2001” exploration. I was wondering have you seen any deep-sea creatures from the “Twilight Zone”? What do they look like and how big are they? Are their any species that you know of and have you seen them? What do you do on the way up and down? What is your regular meal before going down? What do you eat afterwards?

I have seen lots of sea creatures at the hydrothermal vents. However, I have never seen any of the giant, scary monsters that Hollywood dreams up for the big screen. Most of the animals at the vents could be compared in size to their shallow-water counterparts. The one exception would be the giant tubeworms, which can reach 6 – 8 ft in length.... On the way down in Alvin, we listen to music (there is a CD player in the sub), sleep, or talk. On the way up, we pretty much do the same thing. Some people do not eat before a dive; others may eat something light. before getting into the sub. Lunch is provided for us in the sub, and
afterwards, when we are back on the Atlantis, we eat whatever has been cooked for dinner.

	Is there a way to go fishing down there? (like stick a pole out a hole?)
	There is no way to go hook-and-line fishing at the vents. Besides, you would not want to eat anything you caught anyway.