Robert Ballard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Ballard
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Ballard in 2023
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Robert Duane Ballard
June 30, 1942 Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
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| Education | University of California, Santa Barbara (BS) University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (MS) University of Rhode Island (PhD) |
| Employer | University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography |
| Known for | Ocean exploration and underwater archaeology; discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic, the battleship Bismarck, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, and John F. Kennedy's PT-109 |
| Awards | Kilby International Awards (1994) The Explorer Medal (1995) Hubbard Medal (1996) Caird Medal (2002) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
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| Years of service | 1965–1995 |
| Rank |  Commander |
Robert Duane Ballard (born June 30, 1942) is an American ocean explorer. He is a retired Navy officer and a professor at the University of Rhode Island. Ballard is famous for his work in underwater archaeology, which means studying old things found deep in the ocean.
He is best known for finding the wrecks of famous ships. These include the RMS Titanic in 1985 and the German battleship Bismarck in 1989. He also found the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in 1998. In 2002, he discovered John F. Kennedy's patrol boat, PT-109.
Ballard also found hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean. These are like hot springs on the seafloor. Amazing life forms live around these vents, getting energy from chemicals instead of sunlight. He once said finding these vents was even more exciting than finding the Titanic. Ballard also started the JASON Project, which helps students learn about science and exploration.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Duane Ballard was born in Wichita, Kansas, on June 30, 1942. When he was two, his family moved to southern California. His father worked as an engineer there.
Ballard became interested in exploring the ocean at a young age. He loved watching the 1954 movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This film was based on a book by Jules Verne. In high school, he even went on short research trips with oceanographers.
He went to the University of California, Santa Barbara. He studied chemistry and geology. Later, he earned a master's degree in geophysics from the University of Hawaiʻi. He even trained porpoises and whales there!
In 1967, Ballard was called to serve in the military. He asked to join the US Navy as an oceanographer. The Navy sent him to work with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He later earned his PhD in marine geology from the University of Rhode Island in 1974.
Military Service
Ballard joined the United States Army Reserve in 1965. He later transferred to the United States Navy Reserve. This allowed him to use his skills as an oceanographer. He served in the Navy for many years. He retired as a commander in 1995.
Exploring the Ocean Floor
Ballard's first dive in a special underwater vehicle was in 1969. It was called the Ben Franklin. In 1970, he started mapping the Gulf of Maine for his studies. He used sound waves to see the ocean floor. He also used the submersible Alvin to collect rock samples.
In 1974, Ballard explored the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This is a huge underwater mountain range. He used Alvin to study its deep valleys.
Discovering Hydrothermal Vents
In 1977, Ballard was part of an expedition near the Galapagos Islands. They were using Alvin to explore the deep sea. There, they found amazing hydrothermal vents. These vents release hot, chemical-rich water.
Even more amazing, they found communities of living things around these vents. These creatures get their energy from chemicals, not sunlight. This was a huge discovery for biology!
In 1979, another expedition found "black smokers." These vents shot out black, hot water. Ballard and his team measured the temperature of these vents. It was incredibly hot, about 350 degrees Celsius!
Finding Lost Ships
Ballard was always interested in shipwrecks. He helped develop small, unmanned submersibles. These robots could be controlled from a ship. They had lights, cameras, and arms to explore. He thought these robots could help him find the Titanic.
The RMS Titanic
In the summer of 1985, Ballard was searching for the Titanic. He was using a special robot called Argo. The U.S. Navy helped fund this trip. They wanted Ballard to first find two of their own lost submarines. These submarines had sunk in the 1960s.
Ballard learned an important lesson from the submarines. They had broken into many pieces from the deep-sea pressure. This created a long trail of debris on the ocean floor. Following this trail made them easier to find. Ballard realized the Titanic would have done the same.
On September 1, 1985, Argo was sweeping the ocean floor. Suddenly, observers saw strange marks. Then, they saw debris. Soon after, a boiler was sighted. Finally, the hull of the Titanic was found!
Ballard's team explored the outside of the Titanic. They saw it had split into two main parts. He believed the wreck site was like a cemetery. He decided not to remove any items from it.
In 1986, Ballard returned to the Titanic wreck. This time, he brought Alvin and a smaller robot called Jason Junior. Jason Junior could fit into small openings. This allowed them to see inside the ship. They took many detailed photos of the wreck.
The Bismarck
In 1989, Ballard searched for the German battleship Bismarck. This ship sank off the coast of France. It was much deeper than the Titanic. Ballard used a special robot to find it.
He wanted to find out if the British sank the Bismarck or if its crew scuttled it (sank it on purpose). Ballard's team found the hull mostly whole. He believed the crew sank the ship themselves.
The Lusitania
In 1993, Ballard explored the wreck of the RMS Lusitania. This ship was sunk by a torpedo off the Irish coast. There was a second, much larger explosion after the torpedo hit.
Ballard found no proof of a boiler explosion. He thought coal dust inside the ship might have caused the second blast. Other experts have different ideas about why the ship sank so fast.
World War II Wrecks
In 1992, Ballard and his team explored many World War II wrecks. They visited sites in the Pacific Ocean. He found the wreck of the IJN Kirishima. His book Lost Ships of Guadalcanal shows many ships sunk in Ironbottom Sound.
In 1998, Ballard found the wreck of the Yorktown. This aircraft carrier was sunk during the Battle of Midway. It was found three miles deep in the ocean.
John F. Kennedy's PT-109
In 2002, Ballard led an expedition to the Solomon Islands. They were looking for John F. Kennedy's patrol boat, PT-109. This boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer in 1943.
They found a torpedo tube and the front part of the boat. This trip also helped recognize the islanders, Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana. They had saved the crew of PT-109 after the sinking.
Exploring the Black Sea
Ballard also explored the Black Sea. This sea has very deep water with no oxygen. This lack of oxygen helps preserve old ships. Wood-eating organisms cannot survive there.
Ballard's team found ancient shorelines and river valleys. They also found three ancient shipwrecks near Sinop. These ships dated back to the Roman and Byzantine times.
One wreck, called "Sinop D," was amazingly well-preserved. It was found 320 meters deep. Its hull and cargo were still intact. Even its mast was standing 11 meters tall! This wreck gave scientists a lot of information about old ship building.
Ballard's research in the Black Sea has helped scientists learn about ancient trade routes. It also supports the idea that the Black Sea was once a freshwater lake. It was later flooded by saltwater from the Mediterranean Sea.
Awards and Honors
Robert Ballard has received many awards for his work.
- In 1994, he received the Kilby International Award.
- In 1995, he was given The Explorer Medal.
- In 1996, he received the Lone Sailor Award for his Navy service.
- The Caird Medal was awarded to him in 2002.
- An asteroid, 11277 Ballard, was named after him in 2002.
- He received the National Humanities Medal in 2003.
Other Work
Teaching and Research
Since 2004, Ballard has been a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. He directs the Institute for Archaeological Oceanography there.
Television
Ballard was a consultant for the TV show seaQuest DSV. This was a science fiction series about underwater exploration. He would explain the real science behind the show's ideas.
Education for Kids
In 1989, Ballard started the JASON Project. This program helps middle school students learn about science and technology. He created it because so many students wrote to him after he found the Titanic. He wanted to inspire young people to explore science.
Personal Life
Robert Ballard is married to Barbara Earle. He has three sons and one daughter.
See also
- Center for Ocean Exploration and Archaeological Oceanography
- German battleship Bismarck
- JASON Project
- Mystic Aquarium
- USS Yorktown
- Wreck of the RMS Titanic
