Jacques Cousteau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
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Jacques-Yves Cousteau in 1972
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| Born | June 11, 1910 |
| Died | June 25, 1997 (aged 87) Paris, France
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| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Saint-André-de-Cubzac, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Oceanographer |
| Spouse(s) | Simone Melchior Cousteau (m. 1937-1990, her death) Francine Triplet Cousteau (m. 1991-1997, his death) |
| Children | 4, including Jean-Michel and Philippe Cousteau |
Jacques-Yves Cousteau (June 11, 1910 – June 25, 1997) was a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, scientist, photographer, and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water. He co-developed the aqua-lung, brought attention to marine conservation, and was a member of the Académie française.
He is generally known in France as le commandant Cousteau ("Commander Cousteau"). Worldwide, people call him Jacques Cousteau or Captain Cousteau.
Contents
Life
Cousteau was born in Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Gironde, to Daniel (a lawyer) and Élisabeth Cousteau. In 1930, he entered the French Navy as the head of the underwater research group. He later worked his way up the ranks as he became more famous and more useful to the navy.
In 1937, he married Simone Melchior, and they had two sons, Jean-Michel (1938) and Philippe (1940). In 1991, one year after his wife Simone's death of cancer, he married Francine Triplet. They already had two children, a daughter Diane Cousteau (1980) and a son Pierre-Yves Cousteau (1982), born before their marriage.
Cousteau died at the age of 87 of a heart attack while recovering from a respiratory illness. He is buried in the Cousteau family plot at Saint-André-de-Cubzac Cemetery, Saint-André-de-Cubzac, France.
Marine exploration
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According to his first book, The Silent World, Cousteau started skindiving with a mask, snorkel, and fins in 1938. In 1943, he tried an invention he and Émile Gagnan designed, the aqua-lung, or SCUBA. This allowed the men to stay underwater for a long time because the air in the tanks let them breathe.
Before scientists realized porpoises' abilities, Cousteau observed them and said they might have special abilities. In The Silent World, he reported that his research vessel, the Élie Monier, was heading to the Straits of Gibraltar and noticed a group of porpoises following them. Cousteau changed course, purposely going the way that was not the best way to the strait. The porpoises followed for a few minutes and then turned to go the right way. Cousteau realized that that porpoises have something like sonar, which was a new feature on submarines at the time. He was right.
Marine conservation
In October 1960, a large amount of radioactive waste was going to be dumped in the sea by the European Atomic Energy Community. Cousteau organized a publicity campaign that gained wide popular support. The train carrying the waste was stopped by women and children sitting on the railway, and the risk was avoided.
In 1973, along with his two sons and Frederick Hyman, he created the Cousteau Society for the Protection of Ocean Life. Frederick Hyman was its first President, and it now has more than 300,000 members. In 1977, he and Peter Scott received the UN International Environment prize.
In 1985, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Ronald Reagan. In 1992, he was invited to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the United Nations' International Conference on Environment and Development. Then he became a regular advisor for the UN and the World Bank.
Legacy
Cousteau liked to call himself an "oceanographic technician." His work allowed many people to explore the resources of the ocean.
His work also created a new kind of scientific communication. The simple way of sharing scientific concepts was soon used in other disciplines and became one of the most important characteristics of modern TV broadcasting.
In 1975, folk singer John Denver wrote the song "Calypso" as a tribute to Cousteau and his research ship Calypso. The French synthesizer composer Jean Michel Jarre created a tropical-themed tribute album entitled Waiting for Cousteau in 1990.
On January 11, 1996, the Calypso was rammed and sunk in Singapore harbour by a barge. Cousteau died on June 25, 1997. The Cousteau Society and its French counterpart l'Équipe Cousteau, which Jacques-Yves Cousteau founded, are still active today.
In 2007, International Watch Co introduced the IWC Aquatimer Chronograph 'Cousteau Divers' Special Edition. Some of the money made from the sales of these divers' watches were donated to The Cousteau Society.
The 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, directed by Wes Anderson, shows Cousteau's career to viewers. It includes an end credit that reads "In memory of Jacques-Yves Cousteau and with gratitude to the Cousteau Society, which was not involved in the making of this film."
Honors
During his lifetime, Jacques-Yves Cousteau received these awards:
- Commandeur de la Légion d'Honneur
- Grand-Croix de l'Ordre national du Mérite
- Croix de guerre 1939–1945
- Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Maritime
- Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia.
- National Geographic Society's Special Gold Medal in 1961
- BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award - a lifetime achievement award for his movies
Jacques Cousteau quotes
- "The glory of nature provides evidence that God exists."
- “The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
- “When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself.”
- "The first step towards making the world a better place is to refuse to contribute to its worsening."
Interesting facts about Jacques Cousteau
- Jacques learned to swim when he was four years old.
- He lived in the United States for two years, beginning when he was 10.
- In 1933, he almost died in a car accident.
- While he was recovering from his injuries, he began swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.
- When Paris fell to the Nazis in World War II, Cousteau and his family sought refuge in the small town of Megève, near the Swiss border.
- Cousteau helped improve a waterproof camera to make it resist the high pressure of deep water.
- During the war, Cousteau created two documentaries: Par dix-huit mètres de fond (“18 Meters Deep”) and Épaves (“Shipwrecks”).
- He also entered the French Resistance movement. He spied on Italian armed forces and reported troop movements.
- After the war, he worked with the French Navy to clear undersea mines.
- In 1950, he leased an old British minesweeper and changed it into an oceanographic research vessel he called ''Calypso''.
Images for kids
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Cousteau on the Calypso
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Cousteau's Diving Saucer
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Cousteau's submarine near Oceanographic Museum in Monaco
See also
In Spanish: Jacques Cousteau para niños
