This Intrepid Robot Is the WALL-E of the Deep Sea

The Benthic Rover II is the size of a compact car, although it rocks fat treads, making it more like a scientific tank. That, along with the two googly-eye-like flotation devices on its front, gives it a sort of WALL-E vibe. The robot's mission: To prowl the squishy terrain in search of clues as to how the deep ocean processes carbon. That mission begins with a wild ride, 180 miles off the coast of Southern California. Completely untethered, the robot free falls for two and a half hours, landing on the abyssal plains--great stretches of what you might generously call muck.