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Homer, a Greek poet, has mentioned sponge fishermen who dove down into the ocean by holding on to a hefty rock. They would put oil into their ears and mouth to make up for the rising pressure. Then, they were pulled up by a rope.
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Eratosthenes, a Greek astronomer, was the first person to ever know the circumference of the Earth. He used shadow angles and the space between Alexandria and Syene. He eventually came up with the number 40,000 kilometers, which is only 32 kilometers away from the exact circumference.
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Leif Erikson, a Norse explorer, was the first European to arrive in North America. He called the land Vinland and established a Norse settlement. This land is now Newfoundland in Canada.
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William Bourne, an English mathematician, drew plans for an underwater boat in 1578. This design was a wooden frame covered in leather. However, nobody knows if this boat was ever built.
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A French scientist named Sieur Freminet invented the helmet-like product. The air was pumped from the top of the water using a hose to allow the diver to breathe. This device would allow Sieur Freminet to stay 16 meters deep for at most, an hour.
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The first diving suit was invented by a mechanic from Germany named Karl Heinrich. The suit was made of water proof leather. It was a jacket and pants with a helmet, as well. Like the first helmet in 1772, the diving suit had an air reservoir connected to it. The reservoir has a limit that it can give air, so you had a certain time to dive.
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Sir William Thomson invented a functioning sounding machine that was wireless in 1872. The changes in this machine compared to other hemp rope sounding methods were more swift and accurate.
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Alexander Agassiz made expeditions on Albatross (steamship) for the studying of coral reefs. This took place in the Pacific Ocean. Agassiz's crew made soundings and discovered many specimens. The surveys through the next six years resulted in tons of discovering marine life.
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When the White Star Liner Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean, the world was hit with a wave of sadness. After this tragedy, about 1,500 people were dead.
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Marie Tharp studied Atlantic Ocean sounding profiles to find a rift valley. In later studies, it was proven that this was no regular rift valley. However, it extends over 40,000 nautical miles. This is evidence for the continental drift theory, or plate tectonics.
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Dr. Robert Ballard discovered the wreck of the Titanic. He was also assisted by a tiny submarine robot, Jason. The wreck was found two and a half miles off from Newfoundland, Canada. The ship will never rise because it is in two different pieces.
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The only previous findings of a giant squid before this were dead ones caught in fishing nets or on shore. However, a Japanese expedition led to the videos of a live giant squid. Compared to the possible 60 feet that a giant squid can reach, the one recorded was only about 9 feet long.
