So long, Nereus, and thanks for teaching us more about our world.

On Saturday, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution confirmed it lost the unmanned deep-sea explorer Nereus. During the science platform’s short service, it revealed details about the deepest parts of Earth’s oceans.

From the WHOI press release: 

"On Saturday, May 10, 2014, at 2 p.m. local time (10 p.m. Friday EDT), the hybrid remotely operated vehicle Nereus was confirmed lost at 9,990 meters (6.2 miles) depth in the Kermadec Trench northeast of New Zealand. The unmanned vehicle was working as part of a mission to explore the ocean’s hadal region from 6,000 to nearly 11,000 meters deep. Scientists say a portion of it likely imploded under pressure as great as 16,000 pounds per square inch."

In a statement, HADES mission chief scientist Timothy Shank, a WHOI biologist who helped conceive the vehicle said, “Nereus helped us explore places we’ve never seen before and ask questions we never thought to ask. It was a one-of-a-kind vehicle that even during its brief life, brought us amazing insights into the unexplored deep ocean, addressing some of the most fundamental scientific problems of our time about life on Earth.”