RRS Boaty McBoatface leads in poll to name polar research vessel
by Peter Walker from Environment | The Guardian on (#17Q52)
Eccentric choices dominate in quest to name royal research ship, outpacing more inspirational suggestions
The good news for the Natural Environment Research Council's decision to crowd-search a name for its latest polar research vessel is unprecedented public engagement in a sometimes niche area of scientific study. The bad news? Sailing due south in a vessel that sounds like it was christened by a five-year-old who has drunk three cartons of Capri-Sun.
Just a day after the NERC launched its poll to name the 200m vessel - which will first head to Antarctica in 2019 - the clear favourite was RRS Boaty McBoatface, with well over 18,000 votes. The RRS stands for royal research ship.
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