He is the Grandson of a Legend and Will Now Build a Research Station Under the Sea

Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of the legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, is building the world’s largest underwater research station at a depth of almost 20 meters in the Caribbean Sea. The research that will be done there will help protect the oceans and educate students.

The research center located in a Marine Protected Area off the coast of Curaçao, will be called Proteus. “Proteus is a hopeful step forward in spreading the message that we must protect the ocean as if our lives depend on it,” says Sylvia Earle, an oceanographer and pioneer in testing the viability of underwater habitats. Proteus will host international scientists, conduct research and offer education on the oceans.

With Proteus, Fabien Cousteau hopes to shift public interest back to the ocean. There will be a continuous live stream from the facility to help teachers in their classrooms. Undersea laboratories will contribute to the discoveries of new species, the understanding of climate change and its impact on the ocean, the testing of green power, aquaculture, and robotic exploration.