To the enormous disappointment of pretty much everyone with a sense of humor, the $288 million (£200 million) British polar research vessel is not going to be named the “RRS Boaty McBoatface”.
(More on the “Boaty” backstory here.)
However, they seem to have made two excellent compromises.
And the title goes to…
First, they selected Sir David Attenborough—a world-renowned and beloved British naturalist and broadcaster who wrote and presented Life, as well as presented The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet—as its namesake, according to a UK government press release.
This decision comes mere days before Sir David’s 90th birthday, and was done to honor the six decades of work he has done in helping to inspire love for the natural world.
“I am truly honoured by this naming decision and hope that everyone who suggested a name will feel just as inspired to follow the ship’s progress as it explores our polar regions,” said Sir David, when he heard the news. “I have been privileged to explore the world’s deepest oceans alongside amazing teams of researchers, and with this new polar research ship they will be able to go further and discover more than ever before.”
But “Boaty” will live on
As for why “Boaty” didn’t make the cut, the U.K. Minister for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson, seems to indirectly have made an explanation:
“The public provided some truly inspirational and creative names, and while it was a difficult decision I’m delighted that our state-of-the-art polar research ship will be named after one of the nation’s most cherished broadcasters and natural scientists,” he said.
“This vessel will carry the Attenborough name for decades to come, as it fulfils its mission to explore the oceans and put Britain at the forefront of efforts to preserve our precious marine environment.”
Which is to say, perhaps “Boaty McBoatface” didn’t have the proper gravitas for the largest and most advanced research ship to ever come out of the U.K. However, part of the ship will actually bear the Boaty title.
The real “Boaty McBoatface”
“The ship has captured the imaginations of millions, which is why we’re ensuring that the Boaty name lives on through the sub-sea vehicle that will support the research crew, and the polar science education programme that will bring their work to life,” said Johnson.
Looking to the future
The RRS Sir David Attenborough is set to launch in 2019, where it will study both poles so that we can get a better understanding of the world’s ocean and how we should address climate change in the future.
But further, Minister Johnson has announced today that the U.K. government will be investing up to $1.44 million (£1 million) in a new four-year Polar Explorer program, which will aim to use the science, mathematics and engineering of the construction and launching of the ship to engage young people—in hopes of inspiring them to become future scientists, engineers, and explorers.
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Image credit: UK Department of Business
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