The Titan, the Titanic and the echoes of history — and hubris

Strange ocean bedfellows these, 3,800 metres down, the Titan and the Titanic, now inextricably linked in lore, if not permanently in location. The Titanic, many experts will tell you, was sunk as much by hubris as by an iceberg; the Titan and its occupants, some will say, by ironically not heeding the lessons of history. Down there also now, 500 metres from the bow of the Titanic, lie the shattered remains of the hull of the Titan submersible. And I think we’re fascinated by that.”The story of the Titanic is the story of the cost of hubris. Gibson understands the ongoing fascination with the Titanic, not just aboard the Titan, but in a far broader sense.