Could Jack have survived on the Titanic door? James Cameron and Nat Geo find out.

by Thinus Ferreira

Jack and Rose clung on for dear life on a door as the Titanic sank after he finally also slipped into the deep - now director James Cameron returns to find out in a new National Geographic special on Wednesday night if it was ever possible for him to have survived.

In Titanic: 25 Years with James Cameron on Wednesday night at 21:00 on National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) the filmmaker James Cameron returns to the scene of the sinking to settle the debate once and for all - in a scientific way - as to whether Rose and Jack could possibly both have survived.

Long after the smash-hit film, fans have argued for decades as to whether Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio could have survived if Rose made more space atop the Titanic door, or whether the two star-crossed lovers could have done something else to have ensured that both survived the icy tragedy in the frigid Atlantic Ocean.

The aftermath of Titanic's sinking however goes beyond just whether there was room for two on a piece of debris. The deeper story - one that some claim James Cameron got wrong - is whether Jack could have changed the outcome had he acted differently.

National Geographic settles this once and for all together with James Cameron, by staging a few scientific experiments to find out what Jack and Rose could have done differently within the circumstances, and whether it would have changed anything.

"Ever since the movie came out, people have insisted they both could have survived," says James Cameron. "Let's test it - let's do some science. I'm going to recreate Jack and Rose on the raft in a controlled laboratory setting. There's a genuine element of danger to these experiments," he says.

"We find out, once and for all, whether Jack could have survived the sinking of Titanic," James notes.

In a pool of -2 degrees Celcius, two stunt people who have the same height and weight as Kate Winslet and DiCaprio, are dressed up in the same attire and put into the water with the same debris that the two clung to in the movie.

Was there really not enough space for both on top of it? That's the question of the first experiment and it's shocking what you see when both get on the door, since something else happens.

In a second experiment, Jack will again get on the debris, but in a way where only half their bodies remain further out of the water. Would Jack and Rose be able to survive in this scenario, and if so, for how long?

And in a third and last test: What happens if Rose gives Jack her lifejacket? Does he then live and does she then die?

National Geographic announces Mission OceanX as a new 6-episode series exploring the Indian Ocean with James Cameron.

National Geographic (DStv 181 / StarSat 220 / Cell C black 261) has announced Mission OceanX as a new 6-episode series in which some of the world's greatest ocean storytellers will combine their skills with the most advanced combined exploration and media vessel ever built.

Mission OceanX, as a working title, is a co-production from the BBC Studios' Natural History Unit, with ocean exploration leader OceanX and the National Geographic explorer-at-large James Cameron.

Mission OceanX will be a global 6-episode series that National Geographic will broadcast worldwide, with the first season that will focus on the Indian Ocean.

National Geographic hopes to make Mission OceanX a multi-season series, with other seasons focusing on other oceans of the world.

Building on the capabilities of the iconic research vessel, MV Alucia, OceanX will launch Alucia 2, the most advanced and powerful exploration, scientific research and media production vessel the world has ever seen, in order to film Mission OceanX.

National Geographic says Mission OceanX will "combine high-end, character-driven documentary with blue-chip sequences to capture the drama and thrill of exploration - a high-stakes adventure in ocean discovery".

The series will take viewers aboard the maiden voyage of Alucia 2 to explore the farthest frontiers of the world's oceans, 95 percent of which are entirely unexplored.

Onboard this next-generation ocean exploration vessel will be a handpicked team of pioneering filmmakers and world-leading scientists, all of whom will uncover the ocean's greatest secrets - diving deeper, getting closer and exploring the darkest recesses of the seas, many inaccessible until now.

Alucia 2, a one-time oil survey ship is being retrofitted at Damen Shipyards in Rotterdam and includes a 40-ton man-rated A-frame strong enough to deploy submersibles, towed sonar arrays and more; an enclosed submersible hangar; and a dedicated deployment bay that will allow for independent launch and recovery of piloted and autonomous underwater drones.

Alucia 2 will also feature two submersibles, each of which can dive beyond a depth of 3 000 feet for up to 8 hours, going where no human has been before.

Alucia 2's onboard helicopter can search long-range and deploy remote research teams and filmmakers from the skies. New discoveries will be made onboard using state-of-the-art dry and wet marine laboratories, and the ship's media studio will bring these discoveries to screens, potentially delivering groundbreaking scientific news in real-time.

National Geographic says that Mission OceanX will tell the stories of young explorers, scientists and filmmakers as they embark on their mission, dealing with challenges that arise from seeking to solve some of the ocean's greatest outstanding mysteries: What happens when a great white shark slices through the sardine run being documented? How can humans decipher the language a mother whale speaks to her calf?

"We are tremendously proud to be partnering with BBC Studios' Natural History Unit, OceanX, Dalio Philanthropies and the Avatar Alliance Foundation on this premium, landmark series that will live across National Geographic," says Courteney Monroe, president of National Geographic Global Television Networks.

"Along with our partners, we hope that Mission OceanX will not only entertain but also spark curiosity, help solve big problems and push the boundaries of what we already know about our oceans."

James Cameron says "In Mission OceanX we'll take viewers on an unparalleled ocean journey on the Alucia 2, introducing them to a group of principled, passionate people on a sometimes dangerous mission of ocean-discovery in real-time".

"We'll present the stakes and tell a visually spectacular and dramatic story - a story that inspires the next generation of explorers and adventurers committed to protecting and preserving our oceans."

Julian Hector, BBC Studios' Natural History unit head, says "Discovering and telling the stories of inhabitants hidden beneath the waves and sometimes in mind-boggling depths of water raises huge filming challenges".

"Not only does this truly one-of-a-kind groundbreaking ocean exploration take us to the boundary of what is possible to film, we will define new boundaries."

"With OceanX Media, we've already had a tremendous history in capturing the most visually spectacular views of our oceans, and by working with impeccable storytellers like James Cameron and National Geographic, we hope to tell the stories of the people behind the remarkable scientific discoveries and capture their trials and tribulations in the moment."

Mission OceanX will be co-produced by BBC Studios' Natural History Unit and OceanX Media for National Geographic.