While the historical incident of the sinking of the Titanic and the blockbuster movie of the same name are known to all, the discoverer of the wreck of the Titanic in 1985 is comparably unknown. The first Chinese translated book on deep-sea exploration, launched in Shanghai Book Mall on June 3, is ready to change that and make the author and deep-sea explorer, Robert D Ballard, known to all.

At the book launching ceremony, Luo Ruilong, translator of the book entitled “The Eternal Darkness: A Personal History of Deep-Sea Exploration” introduced to the readers the history and achievements of man’s exploration into the deep sea.

According to Luo, the book is not only about the discovery of the Titanic. It also features a brief history of deep-sea exploration, including the story of the extraordinary hydrothermal vents (which are believed to be the origin of life) and the mid-ocean ridge, and how the wreckage of the nuclear fast-attack submarine the USS Thresher is studied.

Few people might know Luo is an explorer, albeit of a more academic kind, himself. Working for the Hadal Science and Technology Research Center of Shanghai Ocean University, Luo is the chief designer of the mechanical system of China’s 10,000-meter manned submersible “Caihongyu” (or “Rainbow Fish”). As he puts it, the translation of “The Eternal Darkness: A Personal History of Deep-Sea Exploration” was a process of learning how deep-sea exploration technology has evolved.

When asked why the publisher chose to translate the book, Zhang Xiaolei, executive editor of the book, explained, “Most books on marine science education in China are about shallow sea exploration and marine life, and few focus on 5,000 meters and even more than 10,000 meters under the sea and the development of submersibles.”

So if you are interested in deep-sea expeditions, this book allows you to follow in the footsteps of those pioneers and explore how human beings have discovered the mysteries abounding in the underwater world.