The concept is fascinating, but what I'm most curious about is how they achieve that longevity in seawater. Benthic life really loves to settle and build on hard surfaces.

[–] sturger@sh.itjust.works 26 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Every time I see these “We’ll do X in/around the ocean” projects I think, “These people have not spent a lot of time near the ocean.”

[–] Dryfire@lemm.ee 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

There are 2000 year old Roman concrete piers that are still just hanging out in sea water. So it's possible if you find the right mix.

[–] sturger@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago

The concrete isn’t the problem. Like mentioned above, the sealife growth is. Also, metal and moving mechanicals are savaged by seawater (and the sealife growth). Keeping things working on the surface of the water is difficult and expensive. Water pressure makes that even worse. Maintenance requires divers which are likewise very expensive.

[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 10 points 23 hours ago

I think the sea has a huge potential of energy production that is totally untapped because of that.

There are tons of ways to produce energy with sea water but as soon as you put any moving parts in water it gets corroded and covered with benthic life (I've learned a word today). Every project of ocean energy production dies because of that.

[–] Patch@feddit.uk 8 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Would it particularly affect the performance if the sphere ends up covered in barnacles or coral? It's what's inside that matters (it's just a big hollow tank).

[–] CandleTiger@programming.dev 6 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

If you fill and empty with raw seawater on the regular then you will have plenty of opportunity for growth on the inside and a constant supply of new water with fresh nutrients meaning everything is going to want to grow into the water inlet and clog it.

Maybe they will sink a giant bladder of sterile water together with the hollow sphere, and then figure out a way to make the bladder not fail for 20 years?

[–] JayleneSlide@lemmy.world 2 points 18 hours ago

I envision issues with turbulent flow over surfaces that work best with laminar flow. It sounds like a turbine or pump system is used for these spheres.

[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Benthic Life needs to be band/album/movie title.

[–] superkret@feddit.org 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Unfortunately, you can't see BENTHIC live.
They don't have a tour planned.
https://lifeforcerecords.com/archives/artists/benthic/

[–] gadfly1999@lemm.ee 5 points 7 hours ago

Of course they’re not touring. They’re sessile.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Narrated by Sir Attenborough.

[–] rickyrigatoni@lemm.ee 5 points 1 day ago

Decoy spheres.