Aquarius

Where Aquanauts Live in the Ocean to Do Research and Train

- By Alice Andre-Clark

A few miles off Key Largo, Florida, under the ocean's surface, scientists are at work. Next to Conch Reef, one of the most complex coral reefs in the Florida Keys, sits the Aquarius Reef Base, an underwater research lab. Here, scientists get an unusually close look at the reef and the animals and plants that call this place home. Researchers first began building undersea labs back in the 1960s, and dozens more were created in the following decades. But they were costly to build and maintain, so today Aquarius is the only one left.

Diving Into Scientific Research

Aquarius' scientists are known as aquanauts. Before you become an aquanaut, you have to be a strong swimmer and confident diver and feel comfortable staying in the water for many hours a day. You must complete an intense five-day training period. Tom Horn is the research programs coordinator for Aquarius Reef Base. "The training focuses on emergency procedures," he says. "So in case something goes wrong, such as getting lost underwater or if your dive rig malfunctions, you can troubleshoot the problem and get back to the Aquarius habitat safely." To get to Aquarius, you have to scuba dive 60 feet (18 meters) down.