A Quick Biography Of Jacques Cousteau

Jacques Cousteau was a world famous undersea explorer, ecologist, scientist, photographer and author famous for bringing knowledge and awareness of the aquatic world to millions of people. In his lifetime he made over 120 documentaries, won four Oscars and ten Emmys. He also published 50 books and founded an environmental protection foundation. He was also the co-inventor of the Aqua-Lung, which eventually led to the development of today's modern scuba diving equipment. His aquatic research was pivotal in the development of the environmental movement.

Nicknamed 'le Commandant Cousteau' or 'Captain Cousteau' Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born in 1910 in France, joining the naval academy in 1930 where he eventually became a gunnery officer. Whilst training as a pilot he suffered a car accident which meant he could not continue with a career in naval aviation and he turned his attentions to the ocean. He began to carry out underwater experiments for which he used Fernez underwater goggles. These initial experiments led to a desire to be able to explore underwater for longer and with greater ease of movement. As a result he co-developed the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) in 1943 with engineer Emile Gagnan, a groundbreaking moment in underwater exploration. Over the next forty years Cousteau conducted research with his colleagues, Tailliez and Frederic using a modified mine sweeper called Calypso. His two sons from his first marriage joined him on many of his expeditions.

Further research and experimentation with colleagues led to improvements of the Aqua-Lung, the design of a wind powered Turbosail and eventually the launch of the ship Alcyone which was used for many expeditions. In conjunction with Jean Mollard he constructed a diving saucer, an underwater vehicle that was able to reach a depth of 350 metres. By 1965 he had achieved a depth of 500 metres with two subsequent underwater vehicles. Cousteau was accurately able to predict the echolocation abilities of porpoises, later confirmed by scientists. These ideas were published in his first book, the Silent World in 1953. He won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1956 for the film of the same name.

Cousteau formed The Cousteau Society in 1974 in order to create a formal organisation to protect the environment and later the Foundation Cousteau in 1981. The efficacy of Cousteau and these organisations was apparent, when in 1990 he led a successful campaign to save Antarctica from mineral exploitation. In 1977 the United Nations awarded him the International Environmental Prize and by 1988 he joined the UN Environmental Programme's Global 500 Roll of Honour of Environmental Protection. Jacques Cousteau was also made a chevalier of the Legion of Honour in recognition of his service to the Resistance and was made an Officer and later a Commandeur in recognition of the contributions he made to the scientific world.

Jacques Cousteau died in June 1997, aged 87 but the ethos, research and environmental work continue under the umbrellas of The Cousteau Society and Equipe Cousteau (formerly Foundation Cousteau). The Cousteau Society is looking to transform the Calypso into a museum and raise funds to build a Calypso II.