“Boaty McBoatface” Could Be Name Of $300M Antarctic Research Ship After Online Vote
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Photo from NERC's twitter feed.
If you want something done professionally or properly, you probably shouldn’t ask the Internet.
When the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) asked with an online poll what they should name their new research vessel, the masses responded with some pretty hilarious names. As of now, it looks like “Boaty McBoatface” could be the official winner.
Along with suggestions like “Usain Boat,” “Boatamus Prime,” “It’s bloody cold here,” and “Notthetitanic,” Boaty McBoatface is currently the solid frontrunner. People are so stoked on this, the Name Our Ship website has crashed multiple times over the past few days from high traffic.
The 410-foot, $290 million boat is currently under construction and expected to be finished by 2019. In order to be the best research vessel sailing the Antarctic sea, the ship will be decked out with the latest technology and onboard laboratories to help improve our understanding of the effects of global warming on climate and ecosystems, as well as the world's ocean circulation and sea levels.
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Voting for the best name finishes on April 16, 2016. NERC says, “An expert panel will review all suggestions before making the final decision.” Yet, as of now it doesn’t seem like they’re going to propose some boring name. NERC has been tweeting #BoatyMcBoatface, along with their hashtag #NameOurShip, and other front runners that are equally as awesome.
Photo from NERC twitter page.
