The Aqualung, Jim Suit And Deepsea Challenger

Challenging the Deep

Where would we be in deep sea exploration without technology? Soon I will answer that question, but for now let's see where we are. The Aqualung is a device that started the line of deep sea equipment. Next was the Jim Suit. For this reason, the Deepsea Challenger. The Aqualung, Jim Suit, and Deepsea Challenger are all portions of technology that have contributed to deep sea exploration.

First and foremost, In the 1940’s one of the first underwater devices was invented, the Aqualung. This idea was created by an underwater explorer named Jacques Cousteau. This invention was great for divers of all kinds because it lets you breathe underwater. So what exactly did it look like? An article called “Dive Technology” explains this, “The Aqualung was a metal oxygen tank attached to a breathing tube that controlled the flow of oxygen. It was strapped with a harness to a diver’s back.” The Aqualung was significant to underwater research.

With the Aqualung you could go underwater for only minutes at a time, but the Jim Suit lets you dive for hours. What’s the Jim Suit? According to the article “Dive Technology”, the Jim Suit was “Based on Astronauts’ Space Suits, the Jim Suit protects wearers from deadly water pressure and contains built-in oxygen.” The Jim Suit was said to be safe and
durable, but no one knew until it was tested. In 1979 Ocean Scientist Sylvia Earle explored the ocean floor in the Jim Suit 1,250 feet deep for 2 ½ hours. Not only was the Jim Suit safe and durable, but it was able to survive on the ocean floor for 2 ½ hours at one time.

The Aqualung and the Jim Suit only let a person dive for a limited time in a limited space.
As a result, the Deepsea Challenger was made. The Deepsea Challenger was a one-man submarine invented by filmmaker James Cameron in 2012. What made this innovation different from all other submarines was its design. An article called “Lights, Camera, Invention!” explains further, “Cameron’s design is an example of advance technology because it sits vertically in the water. This allows it to descend faster, rotating as it goes to keep it on course.” The Deepsea challenger made success with a record dive. It went seven miles down to the deepest place on earth, the Mariana
Trench.

So where would we be without technology? ultimately, we would be nowhere. Without the Aqualung we wouldn’t be able to breathe underwater. If the Jim Suit hadn’t made its debut no one would be able to dive deep for hours. And without the Deepsea Challenger we wouldn’t have gotten to the depths of the earth. Without technology, we wouldn’t be able to go underwater for even ten minutes.