HMS Challenger became the platform for the first large-scale worldwide ocean survey. Its programme covered depth, temperature, circulation, seawater chemistry, seabed deposits, light penetration, and the distribution of marine life. Fitting that work into a compact Royal Navy corvette required an unusual concentration of laboratories, sampling gear, specimens, scientists, and crew. The result explains the video's description of Challenger as a lucky ship: a practical naval survey produced a scientific legacy far beyond the ship's modest size.
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Why HMS Challenger became a remarkably lucky ship
The Challenger Expedition's scientific remit gave a small Royal Navy corvette a worldwide survey that transformed knowledge of the deep ocean.