I visited the Nautilus last summer. Walking aboard was like going on a time machine and visiting the 50 and 60s. Technology back then was so in your face. Big analog dials, non-petite switches, and that pale greenish color. It is as if engineers back then figured will just make it look impressive and thus it should work. Today's control panels and switches all look breakable as if now we decided as long as they look good they'll work.
Any way while there I saw this book on the Nautilus journey underneath the North Pole. While it was news to me that this was the answer to the Soviet's Sputnik (I think that is a bit contrived). Nuclear submarines back then must have been a mystery black box. Tremendous engineering to go from making a bomb to harnessing that energy in about 10 years time.
The book was good although I came away from it with an opinion that the captain was somewhat full of himself and although he talked the talked about being safe and thinking of his crew, he was really selfish in wanting to make the first journey under the pole. Week after the Nautilus made it another sub, the Skate, made it as well. Not that I thought he took any risk but he certainly pushed the envelope at times. Although I guess to become a Captain of a vessel it does require a bit of hubris, I would think the men under your command and getting them to port would be the first priority. He became a politician later in life so my guess is that he had a rather large ego. Daring adventure, fascinating, and a bit frightening to think of all that ice above you!
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