Historical Diving

Hydrogen in the Mix

Swedish researcher Arne Zetterström conducting trials with hydrox mixtures for the Swedish Navy

In the early part of the 20th century, American physicist and chemist, Professor Elihu Thomson—the person credited with putting the eventual use of helium on the diving menu—had originally proposed the use of hydrogen as a suitable replacement for nitrogen in the breathing mix used by divers. David Strike has the story.