Underwater Human Colony Being Funded By Mysterious Wealthy Donor

An anonymous investor is funding a multi-million dollar project to build a permanent underwater human settlement.

The DEEP project, based in the U.K., aims to establish a permanent base that researchers can stay in for months at a time, but people working on the project are tight-lipped on how much it will cost, and the identity of the person paying for it.

Newsweek has contacted DEEP for more information on the project’s timeline via email.

Why It Matters

Research into ocean life is an important part of scientific advancement, as only around 5 percent of the ocean has been properly mapped, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The DEEP project would be a big step toward furthering human understanding of sea life and sustainability.

What To Know

DEEP is a private-sector initiative aiming to establish permanent human settlements under the ocean for scientific research and exploration.

The project envisions a network of undersea bases, called “sentinels,” supported by submarines. Its headquarters in Gloucestershire, England, includes a flooded former limestone quarry that is now an 80-meter-deep lake for testing submersibles and a training school for scientists learning to work underwater.

Concept art of a “sentinel” unit on the ocean floor.

DEEP

DEEP is funded by a mysterious investor who has committed hundreds of millions of pounds to advance oceanic research. The project’s leadership remains secretive about the investor’s identity and scientists working on DEEP are focussed on its commitment to increasing humanity’s understanding of the ocean.

“If I asked you to describe the moment the Apollo 11 mission was a success, like most, you might recount Armstrong’s first steps on the moon,” DEEP President Sean Wolpert wrote in a blog post about the project in January.

“But if you’re an engineer or work in the field of exploration, I’m betting you’d give a different answer,” he said. “I’d argue that mission success actually occurred four days later, when the astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean and returned safely to their families.

Sentinel Ocean Floor — An artist’s impression shows a sentinel unit.

DEEP

“Fundamental to any exploration – or any transport for that matter – is that people not only reach their destination, but return safely.”

While observers have compared the project to the disastrous Oceangate submersible incident, whose lax safety practices led to a fatal submarine implosion, DEEP prioritizes safety by working with the international accreditation agency Det Norske Veritas (DNV) to ensure rigorous engineering standards.

What People Are Saying

DEEP President Sean Wolpert said in a blog post on safety: “There is currently no regulation requiring private submersibles or subsea habitats to be classed (but I feel strongly there should be). DEEP believes classification is a must for safety, regardless.

“Among other benefits, classification brings in the expertise of a third party and ensures there isn’t an echo chamber that could compromise safety. In my experience, it’s never a good idea to mark your own homework. All our habitats will be classed and we are working with DNV to set standards and best practice. We’re inviting the organisation to certify what we build and help improve it.”