The sturdy submersible that photographed the Titanic has a legendary forebear: it was named for the ship sailed by the Greek hero Jason as he searched for the Golden Fleece. And roam the Argo does, skimming just above the ocean floor like a giant sled. Designed to map deep-sea hills and gulleys, the craft can descend to depths of 20,000 ft. and remain underwater indefinitely. Essentially, it is a 16-ft.-long cage fashioned to protect a clutch of strobe lights, side-scanning sonar devices and an array of cameras from marine flotsam. The entire contraption is tied umbilically to the mother ship by...
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