Jacques Cousteauhttp://www.seasky.org/ocean-exploration/ocean-explorers-jacques-cousteau.html
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Jacques Cousteau was a trailblazer of the ocean, known for his many contributions to marine biology through his inventions, films, and activism.
Born on June 11, 1910, Saint-André-de-Cubzac, France, Jacques-Yves Cousteau loved water and adventure as a young child. His childhood influenced him to achieve the great things he did in life. He loved to read adventure and pirate books, such as “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, by Jules Verne. Then, when he was in college, he made an experiment by throwing rocks at the windows of the stairwells of his school, which shows his love for science. Later, when Jacques was 36, he got into a terrible car accident, while puncturing his lungs and breaking 12 bones. As physical therapy, he was supposed to swim. This is where he found his true love for the sea.
With his great inventions, such as Calypso and the AquaLung, Cousteau changed our knowledge of the ocean forever. One thing Jacques co-invented was the AquaLung. In other words, the world’s first scuba tank. This helped swimmers dive deeper and stay underwater longer than they usually could, up to 130 ft below the surface of the ocean, which allowed them to see more marine life and geography. Then, in the 1960s, Jacques Cousteau created the first underwater camera (called Calypso), which he used to film documentaries and movies.
Jacques’s films showed us what exactly was going on underwater, and how we can help. Using the films and Calypso, Jacques proved that sea monsters didn’t exist, which were believed to be at the time, and showed the world the exquisite life and geography that was underwater.
Using his activism, Jacques solved many ocean problems, such as whaling, and convinced more of us to join in to help with his movies. In the 1960s, Jacques prevented the waste dumping plan from the French Government, who were going to toss nuclear waste into the Mediterranean Sea. Jacques also stopped most people from whaling commercially, when more than 1500 whales were hunted per year.
In conclusion, Jacques-Yves Cousteau was an incredible marine biologist, for showing everyone what lies beneath the waves, and helping keep its beauty. He also changed the world’s view of the sea forever with his many inventions and achievements. With all that he did, even though he died in June 1997, his legacy will live forever.
Sources:
-Innovative Minds: Jacques-Yves Cousteau: Exploring the Wonders of the Deep
by Lois Markham
Page created on 1/22/2019 7:29:11 PM
Last edited 1/22/2019 10:06:58 PM
