#244 Victor Vescovo – Solo Dive to the Titanic, Cloning Humans & Reviving Extinct Animals
In this episode of the Shawn Ryan Show, explorer Victor Vescovo shares his experiences completing the "Explorer's Grand Slam" - summiting the highest peaks on all seven continents and skiing to both poles - and becoming the first person to reach the deepest points in all five oceans. His deep-sea expeditions led to the discovery of new species and the documentation of historic WWII shipwrecks including the USS Johnston and USS Samuel B. Roberts.
The discussion also covers Vescovo's current work in venture capital through his firm Kaladin Capital, where he invests in technologies ranging from asteroid mining to species de-extinction. He also details his project to develop a semi-autonomous vessel that could map up to 70% of the currently unmapped ocean floor, though he notes this could take decades to complete with a single ship.
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Vescovo's Deep Ocean Explorations and Discoveries
Victor Vescovo became the first person to reach the deepest points in all five oceans. His team completed over 20 dives to the Challenger Deep, discovering new species that evolved in extreme conditions. Using an advanced titanium submersible, they explored previously inaccessible deep-sea environments, including underwater brine lakes.
Historic Shipwreck Discoveries
Vescovo's team located and documented two significant WWII shipwrecks: the USS Johnston and USS Samuel B. Roberts. Despite the challenges of extreme depth and pressure, they found the wrecks remarkably well-preserved, offering valuable insights into historic naval battles. During these explorations, Vescovo had to carefully navigate potential dangers, including unexploded depth charges.
Vescovo's Mountaineering Achievements
In his pursuit of the "Explorer's Grand Slam," Vescovo successfully summited the highest peaks on all seven continents. His Mount Everest conquest took two attempts, with his first ending in frostbite. Vescovo describes mountaineering above 8,000 meters as his most dangerous challenge, where even minor mistakes could prove fatal due to extreme conditions and impaired judgment.
Polar Expeditions
Vescovo completed both polar requirements of the Explorer's Grand Slam, skiing 100 kilometers to reach each pole. He encountered unique challenges at each location: the North Pole presented shifting ice and polar bear dangers, while the South Pole, though more predictable, tested his endurance with consistent cold and wind.
Vescovo's Venture Capital Investments
Through his firm Kaladin Capital, Vescovo now invests in cutting-edge technologies. His portfolio includes Astroforge for asteroid mining, Colossal Biosciences for species de-extinction, and various life sciences companies. He's also developing a semi-autonomous vessel designed to map uncharted seafloor more efficiently than all current ocean-mapping fleets combined. Vescovo believes this vessel could help map up to 70% of the unmapped ocean floor, though he notes the complete process could take up to 80 years with a single ship.
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Actionables
- You can foster curiosity about the ocean by starting a virtual deep-sea exploration club with friends. Use online resources and documentaries to learn about marine life, shipwrecks, and underwater geography, then meet regularly to discuss these topics and share insights, much like a book club but focused on the mysteries of the deep sea.
- Enhance your problem-solving skills by creating a tabletop game based on navigating extreme environments. Design game mechanics around challenges similar to those faced by explorers, such as avoiding unexploded ordnance or dealing with harsh weather conditions, to simulate decision-making in high-stakes scenarios.
- Encourage innovation by participating in crowd-funded projects that support ocean exploration and conservation. Look for initiatives that aim to develop new technologies for mapping the ocean floor or protecting marine ecosystems, and contribute financially or by spreading awareness through your social networks.
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Vescovo's Deep Ocean Explorations and Discoveries
Victor Vescovo’s contributions to deep-sea exploration have not only led to groundbreaking discoveries but have also challenged the boundaries of oceanic science and technology.
Vescovo Pioneered Methods to Dive To the Deepest Points in all Five Oceans
Vescovo is recognized as the first person to have reached the deepest points in all five oceans. Driven by the realization that by 2015 human beings had not been to the bottom of four of the world's oceans, Vescovo initiated an ambitious project to tackle this feat. He assembled a team and built the necessary support infrastructure, including a surface vessel and detailed maps of the ocean floor. Remarkably, Vescovo's team was able to complete five dives to Mariana Trench’s Challenger Deep within ten days, a pace unheard of in marine exploration.
Vescovo's Team Made Over 20 Dives to Challenger Deep, Discovering Significant Scientific Findings
During these expeditions, Vescovo’s team made over 20 dives to the Challenger Deep and discovered several new species that have evolved in complete isolation for millions of years. These findings demonstrated the persistent potential for life in extreme conditions, such as pressures exceeding eight tons per square inch and frigid, dark waters.
Vescovo's Submersible Enabled First-Time Exploration of Deep-Sea Environments, Offering New Insights
Vescovo and his team utilized a titanium submersible that enabled an unprecedented level of deep-sea exploration. This advanced submersible allowed them to repeatedly and safely explore any location on the sea floor, leading to the observation of phenomena like underwater brine lakes and sites related to unidentified aerial phenomena. Vescovo emphasizes the importance of these explorations for scientific advancement and unlocking a myriad of insights regarding our oceans and potential extraterrestrial life.
Vescovo's Groundbreaking Discoveries: Deepest Shipwrecks USS Johnston, USS Samuel B. Roberts, and WWII Battle Reconstructions
Vescovo's 6,500-Meter Dives Revealed Well-Preserved Artifacts and Insights Into Historic Naval Engagements
Vescovo’s exploration into the ocean's depths extended to historical sites, where they discovered the wrecks of the USS Johnston and USS Samuel B. Roberts. Despite the chall ...
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Vescovo's Deep Ocean Explorations and Discoveries
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Actionables
- You can foster curiosity about the ocean by starting a virtual deep-sea exploration club. Gather friends or online community members to watch live feeds from ocean exploration missions, discuss findings, and learn about marine biology together. This can be as simple as creating a group chat or forum where you share links to ocean exploration videos and organize weekly discussions about the latest discoveries.
- Enhance your problem-solving skills by setting up a simulation game where you navigate underwater scenarios. Use board games or online platforms that simulate deep-sea exploration challenges, such as avoiding obstacles or managing resources under pressure. This can help you develop strategic thinking and decision-making skills in a fun and engaging way.
- Cultivate an appreciation for history ...
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Vescovo's Mountaineering Achievements and the "Explorer's Grand Slam"
Over a span of approximately two decades, Victor Vescovo has accomplished the remarkable feat of completing the "Explorer's Grand Slam," an extraordinary endeavor that has tested him in some of the world's harshest environments.
Vescovo Completed the "Explorer's Grand Slam" By Summiting Seven Continental Peaks, Including Mount Everest
Vescovo's pursuit of the "Explorer's Grand Slam" unfolded unintentionally, driven by his passion for climbing. His journey led him to summit the highest peaks on all seven continents, including Mount Everest.
Vescovo's Everest Climb Faced Altitude Sickness, Storms, and Risk Of Being Stranded With Deceased Climbers
It took Vescovo two attempts to conquer Everest. His first ended in frostbite at Camp 2. Two years later, despite a storm at Camp 4, Vescovo summited successfully. He described the struggle against altitude sickness, enduring conditions where the body slowly deteriorates above 8,000 meters. The use of oxygen is crucial, serving to sustain life rather than providing comfort. Vescovo openly discussed the grim reality of passing deceased climbers along the route, underscoring the perils and physical toll at such elevations, which render assistance or recovery nearly impossible.
Vescovo Found Mountaineering His Most Dangerous Adventure, Where Even Minor Mistakes or Judgment Lapses Posed High Death Risks
Mountaineering, according to Vescovo, especially in the "death zone" above 8,000 meters, was the most dangerous challenge he has ever faced, surpassing even his underwater explorations. In these extreme conditions, the senses are dulled to the point of impairment, equating the experience to a state of drunkenness, where even inconsequential errors or misjudgments could lead to fatal consequences.
Explorer's Grand Slam: Vescovo Skied To Both Poles
Vescovo has skied to both the North and South Poles, a requirement for the "Explorer's Grand Slam" which stipulates skiing at least 100 kilometers to each pole.
Challenges Faced by Vescovo At the North Pole: Shifting Ice and Polar Bears, Unlike Stable South Pole
The jo ...
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Vescovo's Mountaineering Achievements and the "Explorer's Grand Slam"
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Actionables
- You can develop resilience by setting a personal "Explorer's Challenge" that involves completing a series of progressively difficult hikes in your local area. Start with short, flat trails and work your way up to more challenging terrain, mimicking the increasing difficulty Vescovo faced with each climb. This will help you understand the importance of preparation and incremental progress when facing physical challenges.
- Enhance your risk assessment skills by playing strategy games that require foresight and planning, such as chess or risk. These games can simulate the need for careful decision-making under pressure, akin to the critical choices mountaineers make at high altitudes. By regularly engaging in these games, you'll train yourself to think several moves ahead and understand the consequences of minor errors.
- Build mental fortitude by takin ...
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Vescovo's Venture Capital Investments in Emerging Technologies
Victor Vescovo is leveraging his Kaladin Capital venture to invest in a slew of promising startups that encompass sectors like space exploration, deep-sea mining, and genetic engineering, which align with his taste for adventure and passion for scientific discovery.
Vescovo Invests In Promising Startups and Technologies Via Kaladin Capital
After a hiatus from exploration, Vescovo now focuses on venture investments through Kaladin Capital, where he deploys capital and expertise to push boundaries in defense startups, high-tech hardware, and the life sciences.
Vescovo Invested In Space Exploration, Deep-Sea Mining, and Genetic Engineering Companies, Aligning With His Adventurous, Scientific Spirit
Vescovo discusses investments across various future-facing industries. His portfolio includes Astroforge, a company aiming to mine asteroids and propel space exploration and colonization technologies. In the realm of genetic engineering, he's backing Colossal Biosciences' de-extinction projects, such as reviving species like the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf, using advanced genetic editing tools. The ecological impact and the role these species might play in modern ecosystems factor into his investment motivation.
He also holds a stake in a life sciences company developing artificial viruses to target and eradicate rogue disease DNA within the human nervous system. Vescovo underscores the importance of investing in breakthrough technologies that have the potential to change lives significantly and yield profits while propelling human progress.
Vescovo expresses excitement about space exploration's potential impact and advancement through organizations like Blue Origin and SpaceX. He anticipates the far-reaching benefits of space manufacturing and asteroid mining. Vescovo sees investing in emerging technologies as partly a stewardship responsibility, where even ventures that don't succeed move humanity forward.
Vescovo Develops Semi-Autonomous Vessel to Map Uncharted Seafloor
Vescovo's passion extends to ocean exploration, where he is now focusing his efforts on advancing marine exploration technologies, specifically the development of the most efficient deep ocean mapping vessel to date.
Project to Enhance Understanding of Ocean Depths and ...
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Vescovo's Venture Capital Investments in Emerging Technologies
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Clarifications
- Kaladin Capital is a venture capital firm founded by Victor Vescovo. Vescovo uses Kaladin Capital to invest in startups focusing on emerging technologies like space exploration, deep-sea mining, and genetic engineering. Through Kaladin Capital, Vescovo deploys capital and expertise to support innovative ventures aligned with his interests in adventure and scientific discovery.
- De-extinction projects involve using advanced genetic technologies to revive extinct species by reconstructing their DNA and potentially reintroducing them into their natural habitats. Scientists aim to bring back species like the woolly mammoth and the passenger pigeon through genetic editing techniques, with the goal of restoring biodiversity and studying the ecological impacts of reintroducing these species. These projects raise ethical and ecological considerations, including questions about the long-term sustainability and consequences of resurrecting extinct species. Reviving extinct species through de-extinction projects is a complex and evolving field at the intersection of genetics, conservation, and bioethics.
- Development of artificial viruses for targeting rogue disease DNA involves creating engineered viruses that are designed to specifically target and eliminate unwanted DNA sequences associated with diseases. These artificial viruses can be programmed to deliver genetic material or therapeutic agents to precise locations within the body to treat genetic disorders or combat viral infections. The goal is to develop targeted and efficient therapies that can potentially revolutionize the treatment of various genetic diseases and provide new avenues for medical intervention. This cutting-edge approach holds promise for personalized medicine and advancing the field of gene therapy.
- Space manufacturing involves producing goods and materials in space, taking advantage of the unique conditions there. Asteroid mining is the process of extracting valuable resources from asteroids, such as metals and water, to support space exploration and colonization efforts. Both activities have the potential to reduce costs for space missions, enable sustainable space habitats, and unlock new economic opportunities beyond Earth. They are seen as crucial for advancing humanity's presence in space and opening up new frontiers for exploration and development.
- Vescovo's decision to exclude China as a potential builder for the vessel may be influenced by factors such as geopolitical tensions, concerns over intellectual property protection, or a desire to maintain control over sensitive technology. This decision could stem from considerations related to national security, trade policies, or past experiences with Chin ...
Counterarguments
- Investments in high-risk sectors like space and deep-sea exploration may not yield immediate returns and could divert funds from more immediate humanitarian needs.
- The ecological and ethical implications of genetic engineering, such as de-extinction, are still widely debated, and the long-term effects are uncertain.
- The commercialization of space and deep-sea resources raises concerns about the exploitation and potential monopolization of extraterrestrial and marine resources.
- The development of artificial viruses, while potentially groundbreaking, carries inherent risks, including biosecurity and the possibility of unintended consequences.
- The focus on cutting-edge technology for alleviating poverty might overlook simpler, more immediate solutions that could help those in need without the long development timelines.
- The exclusion of China in the bidding process for the marine vessel could be seen as politicall ...
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