Latest news with #LimitingFactor
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Science
- Japan Today
Japan building autonomous probe to explore Challenger Deep
A prototype of an autonomous unmanned probe is seen exploring the seafloor in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture, in February 2024. By Kento Iwamura Japan is set to return to the deepest part of the world ocean with a new autonomous probe that will collect samples and also search for marine resources in Japan's exclusive economic zone. The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) is developing the compact, unmanned probe capable of reaching depths of approximately 11,000 meters, part of the abyssal zone in the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep in the western Pacific Ocean. The autonomous probe will collect living organisms, mud and rocks from a large area for studies on hydrothermal vents, key for understanding early life, as well as deep-sea ecosystems and ocean trenches linked to the generation of large, destructive earthquakes. JAMSTEC, a state-backed agency based in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, will test the probe through fiscal 2027 before putting it in full use. The Limiting Factor, a U.S. crewed deep submergence vehicle and China's deep submersible Fendouzhe have already reached the deepest point, but their scope of exploration was limited. In 1996, Japan's unmanned Kaiko remotely operated vehicle was the first to collect living organisms and sediment at a depth greater than 10,000 meters in the Challenger Deep, according to JAMSTEC. Kaiko was also used to identify the wreck of the Tsushima Maru, a cargo and passenger ship sunk off Okinawa by the U.S. submarine Bowfin during World War II while carrying hundreds of schoolchildren. Kaiko was lost off Shikoku, one of Japan's main islands, in 2003. Japan's crewed Shinkai 6500 can descend to 6,500 meters and its unmanned Urashima 8000 can go to 8,000 meters. "We need to unlock puzzles of ecosystems and geological conditions in the deepest sea," said Yu Matsunaga, a senior official at JAMSTEC. The probe will have to withstand enormous water pressure in the depths. It will consist of two units -- an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) measuring 50 centimeters in length and width and 1 meter deep, and a lander of about two meters a side that carries the AUV to the seafloor. JAMSTEC has adopted the design because a single-unit structure would make the probe bigger, less mobile and costlier. The probe is so designed that when the lander reaches the seafloor, the AUV will separate and vacuum up organisms and mud while moving on a predetermined route. Engineers will consider whether to add robotic arms to the vehicle. The plan is to have the AUV stay on the seafloor for more than five hours and move a distance of around 4 kilometers. The lander, though immobile, may have a hose to gather samples from around its landing site. In an experiment conducted in 2023, a prototype lander descended to a depth of 9,200 meters in the Japan Trench off the Boso Peninsula east of Tokyo and succeeded in sending visual data over the water by means of sound waves. Other technologies under development include the combined use of cameras and artificial intelligence to allow the AUV to move and collect samples. If the AUV is outfitted with rechargeable batteries and allowed to navigate automatically, it will be able to expand its scope of activity as there will be no need to connect a vessel at sea with cables for communication and power supply. JAMSTEC will begin testing the AUV and the lander as a unit in fiscal 2026 and lower the probe to 9,000 meters to collect samples in fiscal 2027. It will then begin the full use of the probe for its research activities. © KYODO
Kyodo News
3 days ago
- Science
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: Japan building autonomous probe to explore Challenger Deep
TOKYO - Japan is set to return to the deepest part of the world ocean with a new autonomous probe that will collect samples and also search for marine resources in Japan's exclusive economic zone. The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) is developing the compact, unmanned probe capable of reaching depths of approximately 11,000 meters, part of the abyssal zone in the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep in the western Pacific Ocean. The autonomous probe will collect living organisms, mud and rocks from a large area for studies on hydrothermal vents, key for understanding early life, as well as deep-sea ecosystems and ocean trenches linked to the generation of large, destructive earthquakes. JAMSTEC, a state-backed agency based in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, will test the probe through fiscal 2027 before putting it in full use. The Limiting Factor, a U.S. crewed deep submergence vehicle and China's deep submersible Fendouzhe have already reached the deepest point, but their scope of exploration was limited. In 1996, Japan's unmanned Kaiko remotely operated vehicle was the first to collect living organisms and sediment at a depth greater than 10,000 meters in the Challenger Deep, according to JAMSTEC. Kaiko was also used to identify the wreck of the Tsushima Maru, a cargo and passenger ship sunk off Okinawa by the U.S. submarine Bowfin during World War II while carrying hundreds of schoolchildren. Kaiko was lost off Shikoku, one of Japan's main islands, in 2003. Japan's crewed Shinkai 6500 can descend to 6,500 meters and its unmanned Urashima 8000 can go to 8,000 meters. "We need to unlock puzzles of ecosystems and geological conditions in the deepest sea," said Yu Matsunaga, a senior official at JAMSTEC. The probe will have to withstand enormous water pressure in the depths. It will consist of two units -- an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) measuring 50 centimeters in length and width and 1 meter deep, and a lander of about two meters a side that carries the AUV to the seafloor. JAMSTEC has adopted the design because a single-unit structure would make the probe bigger, less mobile and costlier. The probe is so designed that when the lander reaches the seafloor, the AUV will separate and vacuum up organisms and mud while moving on a predetermined route. Engineers will consider whether to add robotic arms to the vehicle. The plan is to have the AUV stay on the seafloor for more than five hours and move a distance of around 4 kilometers. The lander, though immobile, may have a hose to gather samples from around its landing site. In an experiment conducted in 2023, a prototype lander descended to a depth of 9,200 meters in the Japan Trench off the Boso Peninsula east of Tokyo and succeeded in sending visual data over the water by means of sound waves. Other technologies under development include the combined use of cameras and artificial intelligence to allow the AUV to move and collect samples. If the AUV is outfitted with rechargeable batteries and allowed to navigate automatically, it will be able to expand its scope of activity as there will be no need to connect a vessel at sea with cables for communication and power supply. JAMSTEC will begin testing the AUV and the lander as a unit in fiscal 2026 and lower the probe to 9,000 meters to collect samples in fiscal 2027. It will then begin the full use of the probe for its research activities.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla (TSLA) Doubles Down on U.S. Battery Independence, Sidesteps China Supply Chains
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) stands against other AI stocks on Wall Street's radar. On June 3rd, Piper Sandler analyst Alexander Potter reiterated an Overweight rating on Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) with a $400.00 price target. The rating reiteration follows an investor call hosted by the firm that featured insights from Jordan Giesige of 'The Limiting Factor'. Noting the company's unique approach to vertical integration in the automotive industry, analysts pointed out how it is the only car manufacturer actively working to source batteries at scale without relying on China. In particular, Tesla's in-house production of 4680 batteries is approaching almost zero reliance on Chinese resources. Pixabay/Public Domain The analysts further noted in the investor call how Tesla is also planning to produce its own cathode active materials, refine lithium, construct anodes, coat electrodes, assemble cells, and sell vehicles independently. This is a level of integration that will set it apart from other U.S. automotive entities. While success isn't guaranteed, the analysts have lauded the company's strategic plan to reduce its U.S. supply chain's dependence on China. They also noted that complete isolation from Chinese products is challenging for the next two years, but Tesla's efforts are praiseworthy. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is an automotive and clean energy company that leverages advanced artificial intelligence in its autonomous driving technology and robotics initiatives. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Groundbreaking study finds huge amount of litter at deepest point in Mediterranean Sea
A groundbreaking study has found one of the highest concentrations of deep-sea litter ever detected at the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea. Researchers discovered plastic, glass, metal and paper waste at the bottom of the Calypso Deep, a 5,112m depression in the Ionian Sea about 60km west of Greece's Peloponnese coast. Plastic accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the litter material, the study noted. The research, published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, emphasised the pressing need to implement global policies to cut marine waste and encourage changes in human consumption habits to protect the oceans. 'The litter abundance in the Calypso Deep, with 26,715 items per square kilometre, is among the highest ever recorded in a deep-sea environment,' the study stated. Researchers from the University of Barcelona said the debris was likely carried to the Calypso Deep by ocean currents and direct dumping by boats. 'Some light waste, such as plastics, comes from the coast, from where it escapes to the Calypso Deep. Some plastics, such as bags drift just above the bottom until they are partially or completely buried, or disintegrate into smaller fragments,' Miquel Canals, one of the authors of the study, explained. 'We have also found evidence of boats dumping bags full of rubbish.' Since the trench is a 'closed depression' with weak currents, it favours the accumulation of debris. 'Unfortunately, as far as the Mediterranean is concerned, it would not be wrong to say that 'not a single inch of it is clean',' Dr Canals said. 'The dive videos show the floor of the Calypso Deep littered by anthropogenic debris, with litter concentrations among the highest ever recorded in a deep-sea environment.' To get to the depths of the trench, the researchers deployed an advanced crewed submarine called the Limiting Factor. Their images confirmed that marine litter reached even the deepest and most remote points of the Mediterranean. The research vessel, built by Triton Submarines, carried two passengers to the deepest trenches, moving slowly at about 1.8 kilometres per hour and snapping high-quality images. At the Calypso Deep, the submarine sailed about 650m in a straight line during a 43-minute stay near the bottom. The dive helped researchers calculate the density of marine litter at the bottom of the trench. In some places, the researchers found different types of interaction between the debris and marine organisms. For example, they found instances of animals ingesting the debris and using it as a substrate to grow, hide or lay their eggs. Their study revealed that the deep sea was a 'final sink' for pollution, the researchers said, highlighting the need for paying more attention to preserve marine ecosystems. 'The Mediterranean is an enclosed sea, surrounded by humanity, with intense maritime traffic and widespread fishing activity. The evidence provided by our research should shake up global efforts, and in particular in the Mediterranean, to mitigate waste dumping, especially plastics,' Dr Canals said. 'It is necessary to make a joint effort between scientists, communicators, journalists, the media, influencers and other people with social impact.'
