Chamber Divers: The High-Risk Science That Helped Win World War II

Join us as we discuss the incredible, untold stories of World War II scientists who pushed the boundaries of self-experimentation to revolutionize underwater warfare. Rachel Lance, a biomedical engineer and author of Chamber Divers, will share the heroic journey of scientists who risked their lives in extreme conditions to pioneer the technology that would ultimately contribute to the success of D-Day.

In her latest book, CHAMBER DIVERS: The Untold Story of the D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations Forever (Dutton; April 16, 2024), Rachel Lance, biomedical engineer, blast-injury specialist, and author of In the Waves, tells the unbelievable saga of the scientists - men and women - who made it possible for Allied troops to breathe and scout underwater, an advancement that would ultimately help win the war and change underwater exploration forever. The story has been buried in classified records for a generation, but Lance's tireless research finally brings the heroism of these scientists to light.

Rachel Lance is a biomedical engineer and blast-injury specialist who works as a scientific researcher on military diving projects at Duke University. Before returning to graduate school to earn her PhD, Dr. Lance spent several years as an engineer for the United States Navy, working to build specialized underwater equipment for use by navy divers, SEALs, and Marine Force Recon personnel. A native of suburban Detroit, Dr. Lance lives in Durham, North Carolina. Her first book, In the Waves, was published by Dutton.