Oceanography

  • Coral Atolls

    Charles Darwin publishes a paper suggesting that coral atolls are the final stage in the subsidence and erosion of volcanic islands. (scientific research)
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    Oceanography

  • Marine Life Discovery

    Louis Agassiz uses a steam boat to travel from the Americas East Coast to the West Coast around South America, collecting about 30,000 marine specimens. (navigation)
  • Marine Research

    A ship called the Challenger circles the globe conducting research for the Royal Society of London, laying the groundwork for modern oceanography. (navigation)
  • Sinking of the Titanic

    The Titanic sinks after hitting an iceberg, killing 1,500 people. The tragedy led to the invention of a device that signals objects ahead.
  • The Bathysphere

    William Beebe is lowered in a spherical shaped submersible to 923 meters (3,028 feet) below. He and his partner Otis Barton began manned exploration of the ocean. (navigation)
  • Aqua Lung Invention

    Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan create a breathing regulator to engineer the Aqua Lung, changing the course of human interaction with the sea. (medical field)
  • Underwater Lab

    Sealab II, an underwater habitat, is lowered off the coast of California. (
  • Discovery of the Wrecked Titanic

    Robert Ballard leads a research team and they discover the Titanic more than 3,810 meters down. (recreation)
  • Cataloging Biodiversity

    An online database is created that offers a census of marine life. (scientific research)
  • First Successful Solo Dive to the Mariana Trench

    James Cameron successfully travels to the bottom of the deepest known point in the ocean. (recreation)