Melchior & Cousteau
Item
Title
Melchior & Cousteau
Is Part Of
Marine and Antarctic Research Centre for Innovation and Sustainability
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Oceanography
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Ichthyology
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Human Biology
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Pulmonology
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Gender Studies
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Description
In 1963 Simone Melchior became the world's first female aquanaut by living in Starfish House, an underwater habitat, for the final four days of the Conshelf II project.
Although never visible in the 'Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau' series, Cousteau's wife and business partner played a key role in the operation at sea. She was the acting mother, healer, nurse and psychiatrist to the all-male crew for 40 years. Cousteau describes her as being "happiest out of camera range, in the crow’s nest of the Calypso (...), scanning the sea for whales".
Her father, Henri Melchior, was director of Air Liquide (France’s main producer of industrial gases at the time) and funded the invention of the aqua lung and the scuba diving apparatus we know today.
Although never visible in the 'Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau' series, Cousteau's wife and business partner played a key role in the operation at sea. She was the acting mother, healer, nurse and psychiatrist to the all-male crew for 40 years. Cousteau describes her as being "happiest out of camera range, in the crow’s nest of the Calypso (...), scanning the sea for whales".
Her father, Henri Melchior, was director of Air Liquide (France’s main producer of industrial gases at the time) and funded the invention of the aqua lung and the scuba diving apparatus we know today.
Curriculum
Date Created
1963
Resonances
underwater
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scuba diving apparatus
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invisible
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absence
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psychiatrist
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invention
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funding
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industry
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Jacques-Yves Cousteau
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medicine chest
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Simone Melchior
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Type
Image
