-
1600's
Sailing vessels become more advanced, explorers explore farther from shore discovering new lands and traveling around the world. (Navigation) -
1690
Englishman Edmund Halley invents first diving bell to allow deeper oceanic discovery and supply oxygen while underwater. (Scientific Research) -
1797
First diving suit invented by German mechanic Karl Heinrich Klingert. (Scientific Research) -
1800
President Thomas Jefferson signs law establishing the United States Coast Survey. There job is to study different features of near shore waters on the Eastern Coast of the U.S (Scientific Research) -
1853
Discovery of deep sea life by U.S Coast Survey by sounding operations at 6,000 feet below the sea. (Scientific Research) -
1868
Deep sea life is found to be in abundance, even as deep as 14,000 feet below the sea. (Scientific Research) -
1888
First modern Submarine launched by French Navy.(Military) -
1925
German ship "Meteor" sails around Atlantic Ocean taking detailed measurements of the ocean floor using echo sounding equipment. These voyages reveal new information about the shape of the ocean floor. (Scientific Research) -
1937
oceanographer Athelstan Spilhaus invents the bathythermograph. A small torpedo shaped object used to detect changes in water at deep depths. (Scientific Research) -
1951
Deepest point in ocean found (Mariana Trench). It is 35,856 feet deep. To put that in perspective you could fit Mount Everest on the ocean floor and the summit would still be about a mile under the ocean. (Scientific Research -
1971
Hydrothermal vents discovered. Scalding hot water pouring from these vents enriches the water with nutrients and provides food for bacteria and a host of other organisms. (Scientific Research) -
2017
Seabed 2030 announced. A major new international initiative to map the ocean floor is announced. It will attempt to map out the entirety of the world ocean floor. (Scientific Research)