Please join us for a free public lecture by Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s 2025 William E. and Mary B. Ritter Memorial Fellowship recipient, Antony Adler from Carleton College.
Adler’s lecture is titled “The Deep Frontier: The Rise and Fall of Underwater Habitats in 1960s and 70s.” A reception with light refreshments will follow.
Lecture Description:
During the 1960s and 70s, a previously hidden underwater realm was dramatically unveiled thanks to advancements in scuba technology, underwater photography and charismatic documentary filmmakers. Oceanographic science experienced a parallel surge, fueled by Cold War defense spending. While historical accounts of this period often emphasize institutional and military collaborations and the scientist-administrators who shaped major research centers, a less explored dimension is how these developments influenced regional approaches to ocean exploration and the significant contributions of recreational divers.
As technological innovations made the oceans increasingly accessible, scientists, military planners and recreational divers alike envisioned the utilization and eventual colonization of the seafloor. This vision led to the development of numerous underwater habitats, designed to enable divers to spend extended periods living and working underwater. The proliferation of these habitats highlights a unique convergence of military, scientific and public interests. Between 1962 and 1991, at least 65 underwater habitats were constructed, with many more proposed but never realized.
This presentation will focus on two specific underwater habitat projects: one establishing a permanent manned station on a submerged volcano off Washington's coast, and another supporting Canadian Arctic sovereignty through technical support for polar diving operations. These case studies illustrate how the ocean depths became strategically important for scientific objectives and territorial claims, and show that enthusiasm for underwater exploration extended beyond the Cold War rivalries of the superpowers.