Ask any American to describe Florida, and their responses will vary according to their experience and what they’ve heard. Beaches, alligators, warm winters, and hurricanes might all come to mind.
I spent family vacations in Florida and lived there as an adult for five years. Of the many things I learned, among the biggest was that there are a lot of things Americans don’t know about Florida.
These are some of the biggest things many people don’t know about Florida but should. Some are good, some aren’t ideal, and some are great for a trivia night.
1: Underwater Guru
In June 2023, a university professor broke the world record for the longest time spent living underwater. He spent 100 days underwater in total, staying at a scuba diver-geared Florida Keys lodge.
Not only is Dr. Joseph Dituri from Florida, but he set the living underwater record in Florida. As a scientist, he was interested in studying how the body and mind react to extreme pressure and isolation during his time underwater. The goal was that his contribution to science will help ocean researchers and long-term astronaut missions.