Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on Mars or the moon? Or how scientists are working to protect the coral reefs from climate change? If you are curious about these topics, you might want to visit Biosphere 2, one of the world’s best environment conservatory research centers and the largest closed ecological system ever created. Below, you’ll discover what awaits inside and delve into the intriguing “human experiments” conducted within the facility during the ’90s.
Biosphere 2 is a huge glass dome that covers an area of 3.14 acres (1.27 hectares) in Oracle, Arizona, USA. Inside the dome, there are different ecosystems that mimic the natural environments of Earth, such as a rainforest, a savanna, a desert, and a wetland. But the most amazing features of Biosphere 2 are most probably the mock ocean and the space exploration habitat.
Constructed from 1987 to 1991, Biosphere 2 originally aimed to showcase the feasibility of closed ecological systems, simulating support for human life in outer space. It featured diverse biomes (large naturally occurring communities of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g. forest or tundra), living quarters, agriculture, and workspaces for studying human-nature interactions with a test crew living inside in total isolation from the outside world.
Biosphere 2 consisted of seven biome areas: a 1,900-square-meter rainforest, an 850-square-meter ocean with a coral reef, a 450-square-meter mangrove wetlands, a 1,300-square-meter savannah grassland, a 1,400-square-meter fog desert (a type of desert where fog drip supplies the majority of moisture needed by animal and plant life), and a 2,500-square-meter agricultural system and a human habitat with living spaces, laboratories, and workshops.
The facility’s technical infrastructure, including heating and cooling systems, utilized independent piping and passive solar input through glass space frame panels. Electrical power was sourced from an onsite natural gas energy center.
Biosphere 2 served its original closed-system experiment purposes only twice: from 1991 to 1993 and again from March to September 1994. The first closure experiment of Biosphere 2 (which basically meant being locked up in the glass dome for two years) involved a crew of eight humans (“biospherians”) and was designed as a precursor to understanding closed biospheres for space colonization by manipulating and studying a mini biospheric system without harming Earth’s biosphere.
The first biospherians relied on the agricultural system within Biosphere 2 that provided 83% of their diet, including bananas, papayas, sweet potatoes, beets, peanuts, lablab and cowpea beans, rice, and wheat. Despite Biosphere 2’s farm being calculated as one of the world’s most productive, surpassing the efficiency of agrarian communities in Indonesia, southern China, and Bangladesh by more than five times, the eight residents consistently experienced hunger, especially during the first year.
The crew members adhered to a low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet studied for lifespan extension, and although they constantly felt starved, their health markers actually showed excellent well-being, with improvements in blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and the immune system. Although they initially lost 16% of their body weight, subsequent studies revealed increased metabolic efficiency in nutrient extraction, affirming the success of Biosphere 2’s design in maintaining a toxin-free and healthy environment.
During this first mission, various domestic animals, including African pygmy goats, hens, roosters, Ossabaw dwarf pigs, and tilapia fish, were introduced to the agricultural area. Employing a “species-packing” strategy ensured the maintenance of food webs and ecological function even if some species did not survive. The different biome areas exhibited distinct developments, such as the fog desert transforming into chaparral (a type of shrubland plant community), the savannah being actively managed by the crew to regulate carbon dioxide, and rapid growth of rainforest pioneer species.
Due to its small size, buffers, and concentration of organic materials and life, Biosphere 2 exhibited greater fluctuations and faster biogeochemical cycles than Earth’s biosphere. Despite challenges, like the death of introduced vertebrate species and most pollinating insects, the rainforest and other biomes demonstrated successful ecological succession, and Biosphere 2’s early development resembled an island ecology due to its small size and concentrated organic materials.
During the first closure mission of Biosphere 2, the crew faced internal divisions, leading to factions and strained relationships. Despite this, the crew remained dedicated to achieving the experiment’s goals, recognizing that any harm to Biosphere 2 could jeopardize their health. Accordingly, they maintained a strong “metabolic connection” with the living systems, enabling them to respond to subtle changes.
That said, the combination of reduced oxygen and a calorie-restricted, nutrient-dense diet contributed to a decline in morale during the Biosphere 2 mission. Tensions between factions emerged, with concerns that importing food for improved fitness would signify project failure. In November 1992, hunger prompted the Biospherians to consume seed stocks not grown within the biosphere, leading to crew member Jane Poynter’s dismissal. However, she chose to remain inside, recognizing that leaving would effectively terminate the closure mission.
The first mission of Biosphere 2 faced various problems and miscalculations, including unexpected condensation in the “desert,” population explosions of greenhouse ants and cockroaches, overgrowth of morning glories in the rainforest area, and less sunlight entering than anticipated. Biospherians acted as “keystone predators” to control invasive plants and maintain biodiversity.
Construction itself posed challenges, such as manipulating water bodies for waves and tidal changes. Engineers devised innovative solutions, such as vacuum pumps for gentle ocean waves and advanced heating and cooling systems, minimizing outgassing and harmful substance discharge to protect Biosphere 2’s life.
Following Biosphere 2’s first mission, extensive research and system improvements were undertaken, including concrete sealing to prevent carbon dioxide uptake. The second mission, starting in March 1994, aimed for ten months and achieved complete sufficiency in food production. However, disputes within the management team led to the ousting of on-site management, while financial mismanagement, terrible publicity, and a lack of research were already fueling conflicts. Crew members allegedly vandalized the project from outside, opening airlocks and exits, causing a 10% air exchange with the outside, thus changing the experiment from a closed ecological system to a “flow-through” one. Mission 2 ended prematurely in September 1994, and a civil lawsuit ensued.
Despite all these challenges, the two experiments set world records in closed ecological systems, agricultural production, health improvements, and insights into complex biomic systems and atmospheric dynamics. The second experiment also achieved total food sufficiency without requiring oxygen injection.
Today, Biosphere 2 serves various research purposes and plays a crucial role in studying how ecosystems respond to climate change, offering insights into the potential impacts on the planet. Additionally, Biosphere 2 serves as a testing ground for sustainable living technologies, exploring methods for pesticide-free food growth, waste recycling, and renewable energy generation.
The facility’s mock ocean is a 700,000-gallon tank that contains living coral reefs and marine life. It is used to study how coral reefs respond to changes in temperature, acidity, and pollution. The researchers hope to find ways to conserve and restore these vital ecosystems that are threatened by global warming and human activities.
The space exploration habitat is a simulated Martian or lunar base that can accommodate up to six people for extended periods of time. It is designed to test how humans can survive and thrive in harsh and isolated conditions. NASA has used the habitat to train astronauts and conduct experiments for future missions to Mars and the moon.
Biosphere 2 is not only a place for scientific research, but also a popular tourist attraction and an educational center. Visitors can take guided tours of the dome and learn about the history, purpose, and challenges of Biosphere 2. They can also participate in interactive exhibits and activities that teach them about ecology, sustainability, and space exploration. The facility also contributes to public education on Earth science, offering diverse programs to highlight the biosphere’s significance and the challenges of its preservation.
In essence, Biosphere 2 continues to stand as a valuable resource for advancing scientific understanding and developing solutions for sustainability challenges.
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