Smithsonian Science

Organisms are best understood by observing them directly in their habitat. For marine organisms, however, their salt water surroundings makes this a challenge to scientists. Scuba has changed that. For example, initially coral was believed to be a plant. Eighteenth-century scientists used microscopes to classify coral as an animal, but it was not until scuba was developed that researchers were able to study coral in its natural habitat for long periods of time. This led to a much clearer understanding of coral, its communities and ecosystems.

Right: Smithsonian Scientific Diving Officer Michael Lang in Florida.

Allowing scientists to stay underwater for extended periods has made scuba equipment an invaluable tool for the study of marine and freshwater environments. Since its development in 1943, scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) has enabled researchers to dive longer and deeper and closely study millions of underwater species and their vibrant ecosystems.

To mark scuba’s important contribution to underwater science, the Smithsonian Institution is convening dozens of scientists on May 24 – 25 at the National Museum of Natural History for a special symposium: “Research and Discoveries: The Revolution of Science through Scuba.” Open to the public, anyone wishing to attend this symposium should register online at the Web site: www.si.edu/sds/

Photo left: Brown elegance coral

“Without scuba our dive times would be restricted to the few minutes we can hold our breath, clearly not long enough to make scientific observations or collect samples,” says Michael Lang, director of the Smithsonian’s Marine Science Network and the Smithsonian’s Science Diving Program. “With thorough entry-level training, scientific scuba is a simple enough tool to enable its effective and safe use at many remote research sites.”

Photo right: A Smithsonian dive team. (Photo by Dan Miller)

Scuba is not a finished product, however. As technological advancements are made, scuba will continue to grow and be an even greater resource to science and discovery. “As our knowledge of decompression sickness increases and engineering solutions for scuba regulators and dive computers evolve, the envelope of our working window in the underwater world will likely expand, opening up new depths and habitats for research and exploration,” Lang says.

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Tags | ecology, National Museum of Natural History, scientist