Making Waves
InStyle|July 2019

Through her love for the “blue heart of the planet,” oceanographer Sylvia Earle has left a wake of opportunities for women in science.

Shalayne Pulia
Making Waves

Why She’s a Badass

“I’ve always done what kids naturally do—stay curious, ask questions, keep exploring—and I don’t intend to stop,” says Earle, 83. Her inquisitiveness has led to a long list of achievements. She was one of the first people to use modern scuba gear, in 1953; in 1964 she was the only woman among 70 men to go on an underwater expedition; in 1979 she was the first person to walk on the ocean floor 381 meters underwater (in a “crazy gym suit—that was pretty badass”); in 1990 she became the first female chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); in 1998 the National Geographic Society chose her to be its first explorer-in-residence; and in 2009 she helped map the seafloor to “put the blue” in Google Earth’s award-winning program.

Family Affair

This story is from the July 2019 edition of InStyle.

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This story is from the July 2019 edition of InStyle.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.