Ash Ahead!

Long before we were focused on being environmentally friendly, the Titanic would dump over 100 tonnes of ash into the ocean every day.

This was due to the ship being powered by burning coal. Large quantities of ash being thrown into the ocean would have severely disrupted the marine life and the ecological make-up of the seawater.

Titanic Treasures

A plethora of gems has been excavated from the wreckage over the years. Over 6,000 to be exact!

Some notable finds include a warning bell, a pair of gloves, and a violin belonging to Wallace Hartley. Hartley was the leader of the band that played music as the ship sank.

Fire!

It's been suggested, by journalist Senan Molony, that an accidental coal fire weeks before the Titanic's ill-fated journey could have contributed to the disaster.

The evidence seems to show that metal in the ship's hull was severely weakened due to a fire that lasted 3 weeks. Molony believes that the strained hull was more susceptible to puncture by the iceberg because of this.

False-Light

A particularly heartbreaking scene in the film "Titanic" depicts two surviving crew members searching for any sign of life in the icy waters using a flashlight.

However, flashlights were not yet invented at the time that the tragedy took place. This moment in the film has faced harsh criticism for its historical inaccuracy. James Cameron, the director of the film, has since explained the error as a conscious choice to light the scene adequately for viewers.

Mainly Masculine Crew

Due to the restrictive norms of the time, a mere 23 members of the over 900 crew members were women. The women were mainly part of the victualling crew, which meant their duties ranged from nursing care to the provision of food and drinks.

Luckily, the majority of the female crew members survived, while unfortunately, 693 male crew members lost their lives as the ship sank.

Inquiry Into the Catastrophe

The U.S. undertook an investigation into the sinking in order to determine if the accident could have been avoided.

Through the inquiry, over 80 passengers' accounts of the sinking were recorded. It was determined, from the various accounts, that there was a severe delay in letting the passengers know the real danger that faced them. It also became apparent that there was no lifeboat drill prior to the accident.

The Last Supper

The night the ship sank didn't start out too terribly for the first-class passengers. They were treated to an extravagant eleven-course meal!

The diners would have tucked into filet mignon, roasted pigeon, foie gras, oysters, and champagne of course.

Launch Party

The Titanic first launched on the 31st of May 1911 in Belfast. The momentous occasion drew in a crowd of over 100,000 onlookers.

That was roughly a third of the Belfast population at the time!

Dedicated Director

James Cameron, director of the iconic 1997 film based on the disaster, put a great deal of time and effort into researching the ship for the film.

This included making 12 deep-sea diving expeditions to the Titanic wreckage within the space of a year. He was so immersed in the ship and the tragedy behind it that he felt compelled to make the film.

The Missing Six

The sinking of the ship did not escape conspiracy and controversy. It was recorded that six Chinese crew members were rescued from the waters by the Carpathia. However, they were not allowed to enter the United States along with the rest of the survivors due to immigration laws at the time.

It's reported that the six crew members were then told to board a cargo ship heading for Cuba. Their whereabouts since have remained a mystery.

Man's Best Friend

A perk of being a first-class passenger meant you could bring your precious pup with you on board.

Twelve dogs were making the journey with their owners on the ship when disaster struck. Unfortunately, only a Pekinese and two Pomeranians survived. Their small stature helped them sneak onto a lifeboat without detection!

Wealthy Bunch

The luxurious liner cost a pretty penny to board as a first-class passenger. So it may come as no surprise that the doomed travelers had a fair amount of wealth accumulated between them.

The estimated shared value of all first-class passengers stands at $500 million! With the elite first-class came their expensive belongings, with an approximate value of $ 6 million, which met an icy fate.

Bad Optics

A possible reason as to why the iceberg wasn't spotted timeously by the crew may be due to "super refraction" as proposed by historian Tim Maltin. The phenomenon refers to light bending in such a manner that a person's view can be obscured.

Maltin explains that the night the ship sank had the perfect conditions to give rise to the phenomenon that ultimately would have hidden the iceberg from view until it was too late.

Southampton Suffered

The city of Southampton, England, and its residents took a hard blow from the catastrophe. This was due to the Titanic departing from Southhampton, which meant that a large portion of the crew and passengers were from the city.

Their deaths left behind an abundance of widows and fatherless children across the city.

Late Launch

The inadequate number of lifeboats aboard the ship wasn't the only fatal error connected to the miniature vessels.

Instead of launching the lifeboats immediately as the Titanic made contact with the iceberg and began to fill with water, the boats were only launched an hour afterward. This arguably contributed to the chaotic rush for a seat on the lifeboats later on.

Captain's Table

Like the passenger ships before it and after, dining with the Captain was a great honor reserved for only the most elite of passengers.

However, unlike the grand 12 seater Captain's table on other vessels, Captain Smith preferred to dine at a more modest 6 seater table and would often take his meals on the bridge.

Food for Thought

In order to sufficiently prepare to feed the 2,200 passengers for the intended five-day journey, the Titanic was packed to brim with food and drink.