Do you know how underground tunnels are made? The working spaces, or caissons, are pressurized with compress air. But in the 19th century, many laborers had an unexplained illness after returning to atmospheric pressure.
Some divers like closed-circuit rebreathers for their ability to provide breathing gas at a set partial pressure of oxygen throughout dives.
Most divers’ love of the sport stems from a drive to explore a foreign environment. With exploration must come the ability to navigate. Nowhere else on Earth can one become more lost than in a liquid, while simultaneously requiring constant individual concentration on safety techniques, breathing gas, buoyancy, horizontal trim, depth, and time.
Researchers test to see how rebreathers function in arctic environments. Read how a team of researchers aimed to explore this little-known subject.
Diving in currents can be exhilarating, but it can also be hazardous if you do not have the proper training or are unprepared. To get the most enjoyment, perform proper predive research and dive planning. Make sure you prepare physically and mentally and have the proper gear, training and experience. Divers often say that current dives are some of their most memorable and exhilarating dives.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the U.S. Coast Guard Diving Program. With its rigorous testing, do you have what it takes to make the cut?
What does it take to be a safety diver for Cirque du Soleil? With a 1.5-million-gallon, 25-foot-deep pool, these safety divers have to be ready for anything.
Get a deeper understanding of exploratory diving — a sometimes controversial topic. One team of divers schemed a plan to dive and explore a deep wreck. Read more about the process.
Expedition diving varies, but ultimately, they are complex adventures that require months of preparations and a team of dedicated individuals. Learn more about expedition diving.
Rebreathers do create an added complexity to a dive, but they can be incredibly useful. Learn more about how rebreathers work, benefits and challenges to their use and practical applications.