A robotic vehicle was exploring the ocean floor by Hawaii, more than 2 1/2 miles underwater. To the surprise of NOAA scientists, it came across a cute, "ghostlike" octopod. One suggested name: Casper.
Instead of quiet, researchers hear sounds of earthquakes, ships, "the distinct moans of baleen whales" and a passing storm, nearly 7 miles deep in the Pacific.
The photos come from a camera on a satellite, once called "GoreSat" after former Vice President Al Gore, who initially proposed the project in the late 1990s.
The international report card is out and confirms the hottest average on record — for a third time in 15 years. More than 400 scientists contributed data, finding a spike in sea and air temperatures.
It fought in World War II and was used in two atomic bomb tests. Now, 64 years after it was scuttled, the USS Independence has been located by an undersea survey team led by NOAA and the U.S. Navy.
In 1998, then-Vice President Gore proposed the satellite, which has since been repurposed for NOAA's needs. It was set to take off Sunday, but the launch was scrubbed, and will be rescheduled.