I think most people have heard of Jules Verne’s Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo and his crew. Today we’ll talk about that famous Nautilus, but also explore other ships and even sea shells that share the same name. And of course, we’ll take a look at some interesting stamps as well.
Let’s start with something unexpected. While you may have heard about the Nautilus submarine, before any submarines existed, the Nautilus was - and still is - a living sea creature.
Symbolically, "nautilus" means a sailor of the sea - a creature that navigates the ocean with its spiral "ship".
Nautilus
Australia – 2018
The nautilus is a marine mollusk from the cephalopod family, related to octopuses and squids. It lives in a beautifully coiled shell divided into chambers, which it uses to control buoyancy as it moves through the ocean. Often called a “living fossil,” the nautilus has existed for more than 400 million years with little change. Its elegant spiral shell has long inspired scientists, artists, and even shipbuilders.
The next major appearance in history was Robert Fulton’s submarine, the Nautilus. He chose this name to honor the small sea creature that inspired it, reflecting both its natural elegance and the ingenuity of his own design.
Robert Fulton’s Nautilus
USA - 1965
In 1800, American engineer Robert Fulton built the Nautilus, regarded as the world’s first practical submarine. Made of copper sheets over iron ribs and powered by a hand-cranked propeller, it could dive, resurface, and even carry a small explosive charge. Fulton successfully tested it in France, but neither the French nor British navies adopted it. Even so, his Nautilus laid important groundwork for future submarine design.
This is perhaps the most famous appearance of the Nautilus - first in Jules Verne’s novel and later on the big screen. Simply put, it’s a story almost everyone has heard of.
Jules Verne’s Nautilus
France – 1955
In his 1870 novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Jules Verne imagined a very different Nautilus - a futuristic submarine commanded by the mysterious Captain Nemo. Described as electrically powered, able to travel vast distances, and fitted with luxurious interiors, Verne’s Nautilus symbolized both technological wonder and rebellion against the surface world. This fictional vessel inspired generations of readers and even influenced real submarine engineers.
The name Nautilus also appears on several U.S. Navy submarines.
USS Nautilus (SS-168)
The most famous is the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), launched in 1954 as the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine. In 1958, it made history by traveling under the Arctic ice to reach the North Pole, proving the effectiveness of nuclear propulsion.
USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
USA - 1959
An earlier vessel, the USS Nautilus (SS-168), served in World War II and fought in major battles such as Midway. Today, the nuclear Nautilus is preserved as a museum ship in Groton, Connecticut, marking a milestone in naval history.
In this article, we focused on the most important appearances of the Nautilus, along with a few other notable ones. I hope you enjoyed it, and also found the Nautilus-themed stamps interesting.
