Scuba Diving and Life Expectancy
A lot of research has been done on life expectancy, but does recreational diving make an impact? We asked the experts some burning questions.
Alert Diver Category: Expert Opinions
Understanding Oxygen Toxicity
Oxygen toxicity has been known for years, but researchers are still understanding its causes and mechanisms. Learn more about oxygen toxicity, including who is at risk, effects on the nervous system and more.
PFO and Decompression Illness in Recreational Divers
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a relatively benign cardiac defect that creates a passage in a wall that normally separates the left and right upper chambers of the heart. But preferred treatment is up for debate.
The Future of Dive Medicine
What does the future of dive medicine cook like? Two experts answered our questions and made their best predictions about the future of dive medicine and research.
The Right to Refuse Service
Dive professionals assume personal risks when they lead divers underwater, and they are trained to deny service to divers who might compromise their own safety or the safety of others. Denying service to a paying customer can be difficult.
Between Deep Sea and Space
A passionate cave diver and scientist, Dawn Kernagis, Ph.D., has been involved in numerous exploration projects since the 1990s, including as a crew member in the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 21 underwater habitat mission in 2016. A recipient of the 2018 Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society’s Young Scientist Award and other distinctions, she oversees the Human Health, Resilience and Performance research team at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Read about her studies on human performance optimization and risk mitigation for operators in extreme environments.
Richard D. Vann
A U.S. Navy SEAL, a respected researcher of decompression theory and an expert in hyperbaric and dive medicine, Richard D. “Dick” Vann had a career spanning more than 60 years. His work contributed to the implementation of safer pressure-exposure protocols in diving, mountaineering and space exploration. In 1990, as interest in recreational diving was increasing, Vann started working with DAN and founded the organization’s research department. As a director and later as vice president of research, he led studies of dive safety and injury prevention for more than 20 years.
