Jacques Cousteau was known worldwide through his television programs, feature-length films, and books, all of which have focused on the wonders and tragedies of the marine world. Through these films and publications, Cousteau helped demystify undersea life, documenting its remarkable variety, its interdependence, and its fragility. Through the Cousteau Society, which he founded in the 1970s, he led efforts to call attention to environmental problems, to reduce marine pollution, and perhaps most importantly, to bring lasting peace to the world.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born in St. André-de-Cubzac, France, on June 11, 1910, to Elizabeth Duranthon and Daniel Cousteau. At the time, the elder Cousteau worked as a legal adviser to American entrepreneur James Hyde, founder of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. In 1917, after a heated argument, Hyde fired Daniel and the family briefly fell on hard times, their problems compounded by the poor health of Jacques, who for...