Jeffrey Kluger
Scorsese and Spielberg may never go to Saturn, but on March 25, director James Cameron–of Titanic and The Abyss–took a whole other kind of crazy ride, descending 6.8 miles (10.9 km) to the deepest part of the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific. No human had made such a trip in 50 years, and it was the first time anyone had braved the dive solo. What’s more, Cameron traveled in a submersible of his own design–one he clearly trusted, since it was going to a spot where the pressure is about 16,000 lb. per sq. in. Even a small glitch could lead to a deadly squish. Though failed hydraulics prevented him from collecting rock samples, he’s planning a return and a 3-D documentary.
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Write to Jeffrey Kluger at jeffrey.kluger@time.com