bathyalsonen

The bathysphere was a spherical diving vehicle used for deep-sea exploration. Invented by Otis Barton and developed with William Beebe, it was one of the earliest submersibles capable of reaching significant ocean depths. The bathysphere was lowered and raised by a cable from a surface vessel, and occupants viewed the underwater world through thick quartz windows.

The first manned descent in a bathysphere occurred in 1930, reaching a depth of 1,400 feet. Subsequent dives, notably by Beebe and Barton, pushed these limits further. In 1934, Beebe descended to 3,028 feet in the Atlantic Ocean, a record at the time. This exploration provided invaluable data and observations of deep-sea life, many species of which were unknown to science. The bathysphere's design was simple yet effective for its era, relying on its spherical shape to withstand immense pressure. Its success paved the way for more advanced submersible technology.