The 700-ton RV FLIP may look like it is sinking in this video, but it is actually transitioning from a horizontal ship to a vertical research platform. The FLIP (Floating Instrument Platform) is designed to be a steady platform for ocean research, with all but 50 feet of its 354-foot length underwater while in vertical mode. The California-based ship is owned by the Office of Naval Research and has been operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography since 1962. For more on FLIP check out this article on Ship Technology.
photo via Scripps Institution of Oceanography
