For many following the news, the Gulf oil spill was an important but abstract story — until live video became widely available showing plumes of oil gushing into the water at a furious pace, hour after hour and day after day.

The undersea images were first seen publicly late last week and television news networks have used it more as this week goes on. CNN and MSNBC executives debated internally whether to keep the feed constantly on the corner of their screens, much like they do with menacing maps of approaching hurricanes. On Thursday, the videos allowed experts and laymen alike to evaluate whether BP’s latest attempt to plug the leak by shooting mud into the well appeared to be working.

It was hard to tell, but also hard to look away.Read more here