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He was admitted to the École Navale (Naval Academy) in Brest and became a gunnery officer of the French Navy, which gave him the opportunity to make his first underwater experiments. In 1936 he tested a model of underwater eyeglasses, perhaps the ancestors of modern masks.
Married in 1937Events January January 1 Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua January 11 The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States. January 19 Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, to Simone MelchiorSimone Melchior Cousteau ( 1919- 1990) was the wife and business partner of undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau. The first woman scuba diver, Simone was at Jacques's side during his major underwater accomplishments. She led him to the men and money who wou, he took part in WWII as a spySpy redirects here, for alternate use see Spy (disambiguation A secret agent (also known as spy or covert operative is a person involved in espionage. See also intelligence service, identity creation Real-life secret agents See espionage for a list of rea for the underground and during the conflict he found the time to be co-inventor, with Emile GagnanEmile Gagnan (born November 1900) was a French engineer and co-inventor (together with Jacques Cousteau) of the demand-valve used for the first Scuba equipment (" Aqua-Lung") in 1943. The demand-valve was designed for regulating gas in gas-generator engin, of the first type of SCUBA diving equipment, the Aqua-Lung in 19431943 is the common year starting on Friday. Events January January 4 End of term for Culbert Olson, 29th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Earl Warren. January 11 The United States and United Kingdom give up territorial rights in China. January 1. Among the things that prompted him to develop efficient air-breathing diving free-swimming diving gear, were two oxygen toxicity accidents that he had earlier with rebreathers.
In the post-WWII years, still a naval officer, he developed techniques for the minesweeping of France's harbors and explored shipwrecks.
Named the president of the French Oceanographic Campaigns, in 1950 he bought his famous ship Calypso, with which he visited the most interesting waters of the planet, including some rivers. During these trips he produced many books and films. Cousteau won three Oscars for The Silent World, The Golden Fish and World Without Sun, as well as many other top awards including the Palme d'Or in 1956 at the Cannes Film Festival. His work did a great deal to popularize knowledge of underwater biology.
In 1963 with Jean de Wouters Cousteau developed the an underwater camera named "Calypso-Phot" which was later licensed to Nikon and became the "Calypso-Nikkor" and then the "Nikonos".
Together with Jean Mollard he created the SP-350 , an two-man submarine that could reach a depth of 350m below the ocean's surface. The successful experiment was soon repeated in 1965 with two vehicles that reached 500m.
Cousteau was made director of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, created the Underseas Research Group in Toulon, was the leader of the Conshelf Saturation Dive Program (long-term immersion experiments, the first manned undersea colonies) and was one of the few foreigners that has been admitted to the American Academy of Sciences.
Cousteau's popularity was increasing. In October 1960, a large amount of radioactive waste was going to be discarded in the sea by EURATOM. Cousteau organized a publicity campaign which gained wide popular support. The train carrying the waste was stopped by women and children sitting on the railway, and was sent back to its origin. The risk was avoided.
In Monaco, the following November, an official visit by the French president Charles de Gaulle turned into a debate on the events of October 1960 and on nuclear experiments in general. The French ambassador already had suggested that Prince Rainier avoid the subject, but the president (allegedly) asked Cousteau in a friendly manner to be kind toward nuclear researchers, and Cousteau (allegedly) replied: "No sir, it is your researchers that ought to be kind toward us." During this discussion Cousteau found out that the reason for French experiments and research was American refusal to share its atomic secrets with its allies.
In 1974 he created the Cousteau Society for the protection of ocean life, which now has more than 300,000 members.
In 1977, together with Peter Scott, he received the UN international environment prize, and a few years later he also received the American Liberty Medal from Jimmy Carter, then president of the United States.
In 1992 he was invited to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the United Nations' international conference on environment and development, then he became a regular consultant the UN and the World Bank.