At this point in human history, some people might argue that we’ve seen everything. However, there always has to be a first time for everything. Today, we’re diving into cool and interesting “history firsts.” We’re talking about incredible firsts like the first underwater portrait and the first American spacewalk. These remarkable feats of human invention and curiosity are worth remembering. It’s amazing to reflect upon historical firsts and appreciate how far we’ve come. Who knows what historical firsts are in store for our future?
#1: The First Underwater Photograph
The daguerreotype was introduced to the world in August 1839. This invention changed the world forever and eventually led to modern-day photography. But when was the first underwater photograph taken? That honor goes to Louis Marie-Auguste Boutan. Boutan took this underwater photograph of biologist Emil Racoviță in the South of France.
This underwater photograph was taken around 1899 using a specially-made camera. Through much trial and error, Boutan developed a water-tight iron box that housed a regular camera with a special lens. This photograph is the result of many previous failures. Taking a clear photo underwater was a major challenge because of the constant motion and small amount of light. In fact, William Thompson tried it in 1856 but couldn’t get a clear image.