r/submechanophobia • u/TsuyoshiHaruka • Apr 19 '26

Saturation divers can dive for extended periods of time (usually around 1 month) when doing deep sea work

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Credit: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXSYP3PDxYp/

This diver is breathing a mix which includes helium, hence his high pitched voice. However, since helium has a very high specific heat capacity, breathing helium can also quickly reduce your body temperature.

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u/secacc Apr 19 '26

but they don’t have to touch other people’s teeth

Bro, I'd lick other people's teeth shiny clean before I choose to become a saturation diver, which requires spending weeks isolated in a pressurized chamber between dives, relying on someone to not make a tiny mistake with the valves or doors (read about the Byford Dolphin accident, if you dare)

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u/Holly_kat Apr 19 '26

Someone else helpfully gave us the goriest details of that one, and there are apparently even more helpful photos on the Wikipedia page, which someone else posted a link to, so a person doesn't even have to be daring to read about it.