Jacques Cousteau is a renowned oceanographer known for developing the Aqua-Lung as well as pulling off a one month stay in an underwater lab. Now, his grandson Fabien Cousteau is looking to follow in his footsteps by attempting a record breaking 31-day stay in a different underwater lab.
Along with researchers from numerous institutions including the Northeastern University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Florida International University (FIU), the team will be spending over one month in the Aquarius underwater laboratory near the Florida Keys. The Aquarius laboratory is owned and operated by the FIU.
In 1963, the elder Cousteau pulled off a record setting 30-day stay in an underwater lab in the vicinity of the Red Sea, this earlier feat almost certainly left an impression on his grandson who is now attempting to break the record. The earlier record was set in a lab that was around 30 feet underwater. On the other hand, Fabien Cousteau will be spending his time in the Aquarius facility, which is around 60 feet underwater. The lab is around 43 feet in length and was built to study oceanography and marine biology in the area.
The team, which was been named Mission 31, entered the underwater lab June 1 and the mission will continue up until July 1.
"The research being done by FIU students during Mission 31 is not only on the cutting edge of marine sciences, but it is really important for ensuring healthy coral reefs here in Florida and around the world," said FIU School of Environment, Arts and Society executive director Mike Heithaus. "By taking advantage of the gift of time that Aquarius gives us, the students will be able to accomplish months and months of work in just a couple of weeks. Even better, they will be able to inspire kids around the country by talking to them live from the bottom of the ocean during live chats."
While the members of Mission 31 are out to break records and make history, the team will also be conducting a number of experiments during their month long stay in Aquarius. Scheduled experiments include taking observations on the effects of fishing, climate change and pollution on coral reefs off the Florida Keys as well as a number of marine biology experiments on the physiology and general biology of both sponges and corals in Florida's marine ecosystems. Moreover, the team will also conduct experiments in the chemistry of seawater in relation to the organisms that live in it. The team will also be using newly developed cutting edge equipment to conduct the latest series of experiments on the Aquarius.
