Jacques Cousteau was a French explorer who helped invent the aqualung, an early version of scuba gear that let people breathe underwater and explore the ocean freely. He spent decades filming and studying sea life aboard his research ship, the Calypso, bringing the wonders of the ocean into homes worldwide. His documentary The Silent World won both an Academy Award and the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, a rare double feat for a documentary, and his work inspired generations of people to care about protecting the sea.