Titanic Is Being Eaten By Bugs

Subject: Titanic Is Being Eaten By Bugs Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:04 pm

Quote :: The wreck of the Titanic which sank after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage nearly a hundred years ago is to be lost forever — after boffins revealed it is being EATEN.

Scientists examining the superstructure of what was the world's largest passenger steamship say a newly discovered bacteria is feasting on the iron that it was constructed from.

They have revealed that the ocean going liner — which went down with the loss of 1517 lives in 1912 — will be nothing more than a rust stain on the ocean floor within 20 years.

The bacteria which has been named Halmonas Titanicae has been consuming the 50,000 tons of iron on board since the Titanic split in two and sank two and a half miles down.

Experts who have been examining the microscopic bacteria found on the wreck when samples were first brought up in 1991 estimate that the Titanic will have vanished by 2030.

Chairman of the Irish Titanic Historical Society Ed Coghlan said: "This research backs up what divers who have been down to the wreck have seen that the ship is falling apart.

"Fortunately it has been photographed extensively and there are wonderful videos and still shots to show us what it looked like underwater so there will always be a record of it.

"In the future people might think it is a shame we didn't do more to preserve it but the reality is to preserve it would cost an absolute fortune and is probably impossible.

"It may be that as the structure of the wreck disappears more of the interior becomes accessible so in the long run we may be able to learn even more about the Titanic itself.

"The Titanic is a very human story from its construction to its sinking and the re-discovery and it will be fascinating to see what happens to the wreck in the coming years."

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