| Going into the sea and exploring what is beneath has | | | | invented a breathing device that used exhaled air |
| interested people for many years to discover | | | | from the barrel. The latter resulted in the death of |
| artifacts, repair ships and to look at marine life. The | | | | the scientist due to a lack of oxygen and more |
| early divers faced the challenges of having to hold | | | | research was need for better scuba diving |
| their breath while diving into the water which | | | | equipment. |
| ultimately pushed people to invent and improve on | | | | With other scientific and technological advancements, |
| diving equipment to stay underwater for longer and | | | | underwater exploration improved. During the 19th |
| at increasing depths. | | | | Century, research was conducted by French and |
| Divers realized that a device would be needed to | | | | Scottish researches, Paul Bert and John Scott Haldane |
| breathe through that would also deal with water | | | | who looked into water pressure and the limitations of |
| pressure. Hollow reeds were used at first but were | | | | the body under water. Their research presented |
| found to be inefficient because divers could not dive | | | | information about the safe limits for compressed air |
| deep. In the 16th century, people used diving bells | | | | diving. |
| that used air from the surface to supply with air | | | | Modern day scuba diving equipment evolved from |
| underwater. The diving bell would keep air as it was | | | | dry suits and rebreathers and was further enhanced |
| pushed under water but this became inefficient and | | | | due to the world wars which created a demand for |
| restrictive. At this point in history, leather diving suits | | | | diving equipment development. This was when the |
| were invented as the first diving suits along with | | | | mask was invented to allow the diver to exhale |
| metal helmets to fight against the water pressures | | | | through the nose when faced with water pressure |
| and be able to dive deeper. Air would be pumped | | | | and to expel water as well. Due to water pressure, |
| into the helmets manually. Over time, the idea of a | | | | the dry suit also evolved into the wet suit made of |
| helmet that supplied air from the surface was further | | | | new material that had buoyancy control. |
| developed and perfected to increase the length of | | | | The evolution of scuba diving equipment was a |
| time spent under water. | | | | worldwide exploration with international efforts to |
| The first air pump that was connected to a hose | | | | perfect the diving gear. Scuba divers are now able to |
| which was connected to a diving barrel was | | | | breathe longer and explore deeper areas of the sea |
| introduced in the 18th century by John Smeaton, a | | | | to uncover new information and artifacts. |
| British engineer. Sieur Freminet, a French scientist, | | | | |