Scuba diving is a sport or activity of swimming underwater using a scuba. It can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome with stories about warriors breathing via a hollow reed beneath the sea to avoid Persian foes. The history of scuba diving cannot be examined without considering the evolution of scuba diving equipment.
In the ancient days, underwater diving was performed by people who would dive while holding their breath or using homemade breathing devices like hollow plant stalks. The first major advancement in scuba diving was the diving bell which was created in the 1500s. Developed by Greek philosopher Aristotle, the diving bell was a cauldron used to retain usable air or the diver by overturning and forcing it into the waters. During these risky travels beneath the water, people tested the limits of physics and their bodies, as they knew little about oxygen intake at the time. More advanced equipment began to arrive around this period.
Later on, in 1771, diving suits and helmets surfaced. After the air pump was invented, it was used to pump leather diving suits via long, flexible hoses from the surface. By the 20th century, two basic architectures for underwater breathing apparatus were invented. One, the open-circuit surface supplied equipment through which the diver's exhaled gas was vented directly into the water. Two, the closed-circuit breathing apparatus in which the diver's carbon dioxide was filtered from the exhaled breathing gas, then recirculated, with more gas added to replenish the oxygen content.
Further, one of the pioneering innovations in scuba diving was developed by escape artist Harry Houdini who designed a diving suit that was simple to remove in 1921. With this, divers could now easily remove their suits if they became tangled or imprisoned, potentially saving their lives.
Scuba diving is progressing swiftly, with new and groundbreaking equipment being created and deployed every year. Masks, fins, and snorkels have improved to new heights, making diving and snorkeling more comfortable and convenient. Purge valves on snorkels, flexible or split fins on fins, and tempered glass masks keep divers safe at deep depths.
Lately, drysuits have been improved, making diving in cold water much easier. Drysuits have been around for a long time but were not available to the general public until recently. The advent of the LED light, which aids divers in lighting the profound darkness of the underwater world, is the most recent advancement in scuba diving.
All of these new gear allows scuba divers to dive more, making the once remote and terrifying underwater world slowly but steadily come into focus, and more divers are entering the field each year. More dive shops and dive sites are opening due to the millions of qualified scuba divers.
It is important to note that nowadays, the fundamental list of scuba diving equipment consists of a few items such as masks, snorkels, fins, and booties. All of these have been designed and improved over time to keep recreational and professional divers safe and aid in efficient underwater operations.
Scuba diving has gone a long way since it began as freediving decades ago. It remains one of the most popular and thrilling recreational sports of all time.
