Last March, the British Navy stopped deep-sea diving experiments on goats that involve inducing decompression sickness. The animals were used to see what the likely risk of "the bends" would be following escape from a submarine at varying depths under water.
The information would help crews judge whether it would be safer to abandon a stricken vessel or wait to be rescued...
However, the tests were suspended in March 2007 while a review committee of six experts examined alternative methods, such as computer-modelling techniques to simulate the effects of the "bends".
Now the {Ministry of Defense} says there is no further need for the animal testing.
Goats were used because their respiratory physiology is said to closely resemble that of humans.
Photo by Rendiru.
