From anglerfish to jellyfish, scuba divers can discover a world beneath the sea full of intriguing creatures. And with proper safety precautions, anyone can take a deep breath and jump into this hidden underwater paradise.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau introduced modern SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving to the public in 1942. The invention of the demand valve system allowed divers to control their air supply and avoid breathing bubbles. Scientific research advancing by Paul Bert and John Scott Haldane helped explain the effects of water pressure on humans, and also defined safe limits for compressed air diving.

The defining equipment for scuba diving is the eponymous scuba, which combines a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus with a range of safety and dive equipment such as a mask for vision and a suit to protect the body from the elements. In addition to the scuba, there are other types of equipment such as dive computers for monitoring and recording information about depth and time, fins and buoyancy controls.

There are many national standards for scuba diver training and registration. These are set and empowered by the relevant government departments in each country, for example, the United Kingdom’s Health and Safety Executive or South Africa’s Department of Labour. These national standards are also recognised internationally among countries that belong to the International Diving Regulators and Certifiers Forum.