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1519
First Circumnavigation
Ferdinand Magellan starts his voyage to sail around the world. Magellan and his fleet of ships sailed for two years and returned with a wealth of information. (exploration) -
First Waterproof Suit
Pierre Remy di Beave designed a waterproof dress with lead shoes that were paired with a metal helmet for breathing. -
First Modern Submarine
Robert Fulton designed a 21 foot, all-metal ship that was able to store oxygen and move underwater. Fulton named this revolutionary invention the "Naultis". -
United States Coast Survey
Established by Thomas Jefferson, the United States Coast Survey was created for the purpose of collecting data on things like tides, currents and other ocean features. (Scientific Research) -
Scuba Diving
Scuba gear was designed by William H James. It allowed a diver to be below water for over an hour as the suit came with a helmet and supply of compressed air. Today, scuba diving has advanced tremendously. (scientific research and recreation) -
Deep Sea Life
The belief that the deep sea was uninhabited was proven wrong when Charles Wyville Thompson discovered all types of life at 14,400 feet deep. (scientific research) -
The Albatross
The steamship Albatross was the first US ship built for the sole purpose of oceanographic research. (scientific research) -
Acoustic Exploration of the Seas
An oscillator was utilized by Reginald Thompson in order to bounce a signal off of the seafloor and an iceberg simultaneously. (scientific research) -
Deepest Point of the Ocean
The British Ship HMS Challenger discovered that the ocean reaches its deepest point at 35,856 feet. This site is commonly known as the Mariana Trench. -
Marine Life Census
The census was completed over 10 years by over 2,000 scientists from all over the world. It accounted for all types of sea life from all over. The list of species and discoveries is now listed online.