Jacques Cousteau

Imagine diving into the ocean and breathing like a fish! Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910–1997) was a French explorer and inventor. The most important thing he did was help people see and protect the underwater world by inventing scuba gear and making films.

In the 1940s Cousteau and engineer Émile Gagnan built the Aqua-Lung, the first modern scuba system that let people breathe underwater. He sailed the ship Calypso, filmed coral reefs, whales, and storms, and shared these wonders with millions through movies and TV.

He started the Cousteau Society and warned about pollution and overfishing. Cousteau changed how people thought about the ocean—from scary and unknown to beautiful and worth protecting. You can be an ocean guardian too: learn, pick up trash, and stay curious.