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*The answer to these questions are Bill Streever's exact words*
1. What is the difference between a submersible and a bathyscaphe?
"The Trieste would be considered a submersible if it had been invented and used today. Jaques Piccard, who invented Trieste, called it a bathyscaphe, or ship of the depths. At that time, the term submersible was not in general use, but if it had been he would have recognized it as a type of submersible. "
2. What technological innovations did it require to build the Trieste and how was it able to withstand so much pressure?
"The biggest innovation was probably the mating of a small pressure proof sphere that could carry two humans with a buoyancy chamber filled with gasoline. The Trieste could sink by jettisoning gasoline from the buoyancy chamber. It could release iron shot to increase its buoyancy. "
3. Was this the last dive for Trieste?
"The Trieste made many dives after its record setting descent to the deepest point in the world’s oceans, often in support of US Navy operations. "
4. Why did it take 50 more years for the next dive into Challenger Deep?
"Mostly because the people who control research funding were simply not that interested in going back. "
5. Why was the Army Lieutenant Don Walsh needed for the exploration? In other words, why was the Navy involved?
"Don Walsh was a Navy officer, not an Army officer. He was the Navy officer in charge of the Trieste program, and although the Piccard (a father and son team) designed and built the Trieste Walsh was instrumental in its successful dive to the deepest point in the world’s oceans. Without Don Walsh (or someone like him) to interface between the Navy and the Piccards, the dive would never have happened. He was also instrumental on the technical side of the operation for various reasons. "
6. What happened to Piccard and the rest of the crew? What did they do after the dive?
"They went on with their lives. Piccard remained active in deep ocean exploration. Walsh went on to command a military submarine. He was also active in the Navy’s research programs. After he left the Navy, he became a professor and launched an important marine research program. "
7. Did humans discover any life at the bottom of the Mariana Trench? Did the crew really see a sole?
"They did see signs of life on the bottom. Don Walsh still says that he believes he saw a fish that at least looked something like a sole. Although most biologists do not think that fish can survive at those depths, the history of biology is one in which the best guesses of scientists often turn out to be wrong. However, so far no one has seen another fish of any kind at depths approaching those of the Mariana Trench. "