We all know that swimming in icy cold water is an endeavor that requires a thick wetsuit and a short timetable. But what about those pursuits that are more than just leisurely – such as special ops diving, underwater maintenance, or disaster recovery?
Researchers at MIT were looking for a way to extend the timeframe for cold water deep sea diving and wound up gaining inspiration from the most conspicuous of ocean dwellers – the whale. In a collaborative effort with the U.S. Navy, these scientists sought ways to recreate the thick layer of blubber that protects animals like whales and polar bears when they’re submerged in icy waters.
And according to Engadget, their solution can extend swim time in sub-50 degree water to three hours, a huge leap from the standard timeframe, where hypothermia can set in in mere minutes. The synthetic blubber was reportedly produced when researchers took a traditional neoprene wetsuit and placed it in an autoclave that included heavy gases. After two or three days, the gas filled in air pockets, resulting in a garment that possesses low thermal conductivity – but so low, they say, that it’s comparable to air.
The new “blubber” should be a boon to the Navy in their many challenging Arctic sea missions. Engadget also says that the suit provides far better insulation than conventional wetsuits, and in a much thinner design – making it useful for more standard diving, swimming and surfing pursuits.
This means that if Michael Phelps ever challenges a shark to a race in the ocean again, he might actually win.