From Sea to Space

Experts from around the country are in Panama City this week to discuss outer and inner space. They're participating in a symposium on the exploration of space and the deep seas.

Space and sea; they're a world apart, but there may be more similarities than you can ever imagine. That was the message when astronauts and aquanauts spoke to a crowd of dozens at the FSU-Panama City campus.

Astronaut Michael Gernhardt and Aquanaut Bill Todd made presentations on their diving and space flight backgrounds.

Although there's a world of difference in these two men's careers, they both deal with hostile environments, lack of oxygen, and lack of gravity.

A key goal of this presentation was to entice students into underwater forensics, and open their minds to different kinds of space and water studies.

Navy Lt. Commander Joseph Dituri told the group different techniques are involved.

"Because we go in the water, it doesn't just mean we can grab something and pick it up. There's still the same chain of evidence, custody, that's involved in the stuff that an officer does on the surface, so they want to make sure they're doing it correctly."

Panama City has a rich history, especially in sea exploration. It's the home of the Navy Diving School and home to the experimental “Sea Lab” project that took place in local waters decades ago.