Bathysphere

/ˈbæθɪˌsfɪr/ noun

Definition

A spherical deep-sea diving vessel designed to withstand extreme pressure while exploring the ocean floor.

Etymology

From Greek 'bathys' (deep) and 'sphaira' (sphere), coined in 1930 by American inventor Otis Barton. It combines the Greek depth terminology with the physical shape of the exploration vessel.

Kelly Says

The bathysphere was one of humanity's first serious attempts to see the deep ocean with human eyes—when William Beebe and Otis Barton descended in 1934, they became the first people to reach depths where no light from the surface penetrated, opening up an entirely unknown world.

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