Jacques Piccard, 1922-2008.

The Belgian-born Swiss oceanographer, hydronaut and engineer, who developed underwater vehicles and explored the deepest point in the oceans, has passed away. His father, Auguste, a physicist and explorer, inspired Tintin’s professor Cuthbert Calculus, while his uncle Jean-Felix, a chemist and explorer, inspired Star Trek’s Captain Picard. Jacques Piccard's mesoscaphe, the Ben Franklin, which explored the Gulf Stream, can be seen in Vancouver.