Development of underwater cameras, depth sounding instruments, piston corers, seismic refraction, gravity, and magnetic measurements is described. Improvement of heat-flow measurements, and development of a large volume water sampler are among outstanding advances cited. The trend is to include more and more instruments in a single package. A very extensive Upper Cretaceous subbottom reflector has been identified in the Atlantic and the upper structure of the continental shelves of North America has been delineated. Structure sections of the Blake Plateau resulting from the first JOIDES project are shown. An example of the results of a combined study is shown on a map of the north Pacific.