Modern 3D scans show that the RMS Titanic wasn’t torn open by a massive gash. Instead, the iceberg caused a series of small punctures—each roughly the size of a sheet of paper—spread across several compartments.

Though the damage seemed minor, it was enough to doom the ship. The steel hull had become brittle in the near-freezing water, and weaker rivets made it more vulnerable. As water filled the compartments, it spilled over their tops into the next sections, speeding up the sinking.