In the July 1963 issue of Popular Science, we detailed the work of Jacques Cousteau, an oceanographer who was building the Conshelf II -- an underwater habitat where he would set a world record living under the sea for 30 days. At the time,Cousteau predicted that “within 50 years a new breed of humans—Homo aquaticus, the Water Man—will live under water without an air supply.”
On June 1st, Fabien Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau, swam down to the last existing undersea habitat research lab in the world, Aquarius, in the Florida Keys. He'll live there for 31 days, which is a day longer than the time his grandfather spent living in his undersea habitat, Conshelf II, roughly 50 years ago. Since then, undersea bases have been created all over the world, and have since lost their funding and ceased operation. Aquarius stands as the last.
Fabien Cousteau, grandson of explorer Jacques Cousteau, is spending 31 days living in the world's only undersea habitat research lab, Aquarius. Last Thursday, we video chatted with Fabien to ask him about life under water, including how he deals with constant humidity, cramped quarters, and two atmospheres of pressure. Check it out after the jump!
Earlier this week Fabien Cousteau, oldest grandson of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, descended to the Aquarius undersea lab of Key Largo, Florida. Cousteau will live in the habitat 31 days, attempting to best the duration his grandfather lived in his undersea habitat, Conshelf II, over 50 years ago.