August 30

Dr. Sylvia Earle, Undersea Explorer

On this day in 1935, world-renown undersea explorer, Sylvia Earle, was born. Earle set a deep-sea record in 1979 when she went deeper than any living human being outside a submersible! She explored for two-and-a-half hours with nothing connecting her to the world 1,250 feet above.

Earle, an outspoken defender of the aquasphere, scientist, and mother of four, has spent more than 6,000 hours underwater and studied everything from marine plants to whales.