The RMS Titanic was an ocean liner designed to ply the popular transatlantic route between Europe and North America for the White Star Line. Titanic was built by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, and was one of the world's largest mobile structures at the time. It was approximately 882 feet in length and had a capacity of over 2,200 passengers and crew. Titanic was marketed as a first-class, state-of-the-art ship, boasting first-class public rooms, electric lifts, a swimming pool and squash court, and technological innovations that embodied the spirit of the early 20th century.

Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. Its route took it from Southampton, England to Cherbourg, France and Queenstown, Ireland (now Cobh), and then west across the ocean to New York City. Among the passengers were some of the most affluent people in the world, immigrants looking to resettle in the US, engineers, musicians, officers and sailors who worked to keep the vessel afloat. These people allowed Titanic to be a fascinating cross-section of society.

At 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, in the North Atlantic, Titanic collided with an iceberg. Titanic had been hit on the starboard side below the waterline. Water flowed into several water-tight spaces and the ship was too weak to be kept afloat when too many of these spaces filled. It was clear that Titanic was going to sink around midnight. Passengers and crew began to board lifeboats but there were not enough for every passenger. Lifeboat regulations at that time were based on the ship's tonnage, not its passenger capacity, and the lifeboats were launched only half full that night.

At 2:20am on April 15 Titanic split in two and sunk. The result was one of the world's worst peacetime shipwrecks: the deaths of over 1,500 people. The RMS Carpathia arrived hours later to take on board over 700 survivors in lifeboats. The event also sparked a sense of loss, outrage and inquiries. The story was widely reported by newspapers across the globe and the passengers' names and names soon became part of a collective memory.

Titanic's loss had significant ramifications. Investigations were launched in the United States and Britain into the causes of the tragedy, which highlighted problems with speed, radio communications, the use of lifeboats and safety procedures. As a result, shipping laws were tightened. Boats had to carry a sufficient number of lifeboats for all passengers and crew, maintain a radio watch at sea, and enhance iceberg warnings in the North Atlantic.

Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel found Titanic in 1985. Titanic is located some 12,500 feet down. The vessel has continued to be studied and intrigue people to this day. Its legacy still symbolises humanity's triumphs and the consequences of hubris. Memorials, museums, books and documentaries have preserved its legacy for the world today.