What's happened
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society has released the first high‑resolution 3D digital models of Shackleton’s Quest and Scott’s Terra Nova, created from Voyis imaging as part of an international expedition. The effort maps the wrecks with new detail, using Alvin and other deep‑submergence tech to preserve these historic ships for study and display.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis on the Expedition and Its Implications
- The project delivers high‑fidelity digital twins, allowing researchers to study wrecks without invasive dives.
- Voyis technology and Alvin enable unprecedented documentation of historic ships in deep water, expanding what is possible in underwater archaeology.
- The collaboration across nations underscores the growing role of technology in preserving maritime heritage for education and policy discussion about ocean stewardship.
What’s changing now: advances in imaging are turning inaccessible wrecks into accessible data, shifting research from optional exploration to ongoing stewardship.
How we got here
Researchers across the Labrador Sea are mapping the last ships of polar explorers Shackleton and Scott. The Quest found in 2024 and Terra Nova located in 2012 are being digitally preserved; the project combines Canadian Voyis imaging with US partners to create precise models for future study and public access.
Our analysis
The Guardian notes the 3D reconstructions and the use of Voyis imaging; Ars Technica and Independent provide contextual history of Shackleton and Terra Nova, including prior discoveries and the involvement of Alvin. All sources emphasize the goal of creating durable digital records and public access to the wrecks.
Go deeper
- What new details have the 3D models revealed about Quest and Terra Nova?
- How will these digital twins influence future maritime archaeology funding or policy?
- Which institutions will host public access to the models and documentation?
More on these topics
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Ernest Shackleton - Explorer
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
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Canadian Geographic - Canadian magazine
Canadian Geographic is a magazine published by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, (RCGS) based in Ottawa, Ontario.
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Robert Falcon Scott - Navy officer
Captain Robert Falcon Scott CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery expedition of 1901–1904 and the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition of 1910–1913.
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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - Research institute
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, acronym pronounced HOO-ee) is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of marine science and engineering. WHOI is dedicated to advancing knowledge of the ocean...
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Terra Nova - Whaler
Terra Nova was a whaler and polar expedition ship. She is best known for carrying the 1910 British Antarctic Expedition, Robert Falcon Scott's last expedition.
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David Mearns - American maritime archaeologist
David Louis Mearns, O.A.M., M.Sc., is an American-born United Kingdom based marine scientist and oceanographer, who specializes in deep water search and recovery operations, and the discovery of the location of historic shipwrecks.
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Labrador Sea - Sea
The Labrador Sea is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, and northeast. It connects to the north with Baffin Bay through the Davis Strait. I