Can Humans Live Underwater?
Being underwater is something that divers adore. It's even possible that some people think we could live underwater since we love it so much. Is it genuinely doable, though? Would you choose a life in the ocean over one on land, if that were the case?
Since both the human population and sea levels are rising, some scientists think that eventually people will have to live underwater. However, there are several issues that need to be resolved before individuals can go below the surface. How will individuals breathe? What about eating? Electricity?
You're not the only one who has ever considered this, I suppose. In fact, Jacques-Yves Cousteau set out to find the solution to this very issue.
Affectionately known as "Captain," Cousteau is renowned across the world for significantly advancing the scuba regulator, which served as the cornerstone of contemporary scuba diving. Additionally, he traveled the globe on the Calypso while documenting his incredible experiences.
Commander Cousteau made the decision to colonize the underwater world at a time when everyone was trying to take over space because he believed that oceans would be the home of humanity in the future. The Precontinent Project was the name of this project.
The first cylindrical underwater home, known as "Précontinent ONE," was submerged in the Mediterranean Sea off the island of Frioui in 1962 and was 5 meters long and 2.5 meters wide. Despite being relatively small, this underwater shelter had all it needed. It was equipped with a shower, a television, a radio, and even a library. Albert Falco and Claude Wesly, two aquanauts, were supposed to spend a week there breathing pressured air. They would set out on missions at a depth of 25 meters each day to research animal behavior and erect an underwater farm. Their objective was accomplished.
The experiment was continued a year later, but this time in the Red Sea off the coast of Sudan. This time, it lasted a month at a depth of ten meters. The base was enlarged to include four unique rooms, a laboratory, an equipment storage, and a hangar for underwater scooters. It was inhabited by five aquanauts who spent the entire day there: Raymond Vaissière, Pierre Guilbert, Albert Falco, Pierre Vannoni, and Claude Wesly. It was a success once more! There is a film called "A world without sun" about this amazing event (1964). To imagine what the explorers went through now, you can actually go diving there.
This study showed that although it wasn't easy, it was possible for people to survive underwater for brief periods of time. Their daily lives were impacted by air under pressure and helium. Food loses flavor, water won't boil, and voices start to change. The water temperature would be 13 degrees, which would make it difficult for aquanauts to warm up.
Other negative effects of residing in underwater bases include diminished vitamin D production due to lack of sun exposure and pallor. When aquanauts come back to the surface, they immediately notice the wind, which they may not even have been aware they were missing.
We have to go extremely carefully as we ascend back to the surface, which is another challenge. Otherwise, the varying air pressure may cause you to become ill. Before being able to live underwater, people must find a solution to the air pressure problem. Making underwater dwelling areas will thus be greatly facilitated.
The truth is that submerged life would alter people. Cousteau thought that humanity would develop as a result of living underwater. According to him, Homo aquaticus, a new species, may evolve from humans. To reduce heat loss, people would have bigger bodies. Most likely, they would develop webbed fingers and toes. People might eventually have fused legs and enlarged eyes. They might even resemble mermaids somewhat!
How about cities submerged in the sea? Hundreds, if not thousands of people, could we supportably develop an underwater way of life? The "Ocean Spiral" habitat, designed by the Japanese architecture firm Shimizu Corporation, is among the most ambitious habitats yet to be suggested.
A power generator in this deep-sea metropolis would be powered by the temperature differential between the deep and shallow oceans, while food would be grown underwater and drinking water would be produced using desalination technology. By 2030, it is intended to house 5,000 people. It only cost $26 billion. Despite being closer than space, exploring our oceans costs the same.
You must also take into account how little we understand about our own waters. Only around 3% of the ocean has been investigated by humans, which means we know more about our solar system than we do about the major oceans on our planet! In fact, we have more accurate maps of Mars' surface than we do of Earth's oceans. Because of this, we also don't know much about the marine life in our waters or how humans would adapt to living there.
In about 100 years, the majority of people may be residing in underwater cities and 3D-printed dwellings, according to a study by The SmartThings Future Living Report that examines the future of living.
Buildings and interiors will become extremely adaptable, with rooms being able to vary in size and shape according to the number of people using them at once. When having visitors over, for example, the bedroom may be made significantly smaller while the living area can be made much larger thanks to technology that is integrated in the walls, ceilings, and floors.
Food preparation will become more simpler as recipes can be downloaded and 3-D printed, making them instantly edible. According to the analysis, due to a shortage of land in urban places, we would likely be living underwater in a century. Building further into the earth will also become more important, while underwater neighborhoods and floating villages will also start to appear. Sounds quite absurd, doesn't it?
Although it may not be possible in our lifetime, living underwater is something that our children or perhaps our grandchildren may seriously explore. It's feasible that people will eventually need to find alternative ways to live since climate change threatens our current cities and way of life. You start to ponder what it might be like to see fish outside your window rather than birds.
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Author: Harmony Rose, a California native passionate about exploring the world and sharing the craziness along the way. She traveled across ten countries so far, and do not plan on stopping any time soon.
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Website: https://www.harmonyrosemedia.