The Japanese research ship Chikyu – which holds the world record for being able to drill deepest into the ocean floor – was damaged by Japan's recent tsunami. It is not yet clear how severe the damage is. At the time of Friday’s earthquake, the Chikyu (whose name means ‘Earth’) was in port at Hachinohe, preparing for International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) expedition number 337. The ship left port as an emergency measure, but was damaged nevertheless. Read More