side view, Biosphere 2 (1990), Oracle, Arizona
contains tropical rain forest, desert, savannah, and cloud forest ecosystems, also a miniature ocean with a coral reef • 3.14 acres • 6,500 windows • 91 ft. at highest point • sealed below by 500-ton welded stainless steel liner • campus is 40 acres
Biosphere 2 designed as completely closed ecological system to research interactions within ecosystems and possibility of colonization of space • $200 million for project provided by financial partner Edward Bass • remains largest closed system ever created • original mission was 4 female and 4 male scientists were to seal themselves inside for 2 years • numerous issues during experiment, including animosity among members of group and repeated need for replenishment from outside world • expose by Marc Cooper in Village Voice among many stories critical of Biosphere crew • now functions as department of U. of Arizona College of Science with mission, "To serve as a center for research, outreach, teaching and life-long learning about Earth, its living systems, and its place in the universe."
Wikipedia • TED video of crew-member Jane Poynter's story of her "2 years and 20 minutes" living in Biosphere 2 (15:57) • Rise and Fall of the Biosphere Project pdf • excerpt from Jayne Poynter's book, The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2
side view, Biosphere 2 (1990), Oracle, Arizona
contains tropical rain forest, desert, savannah, and cloud forest ecosystems, also a miniature ocean with a coral reef • 3.14 acres • 6,500 windows • 91 ft. at highest point • sealed below by 500-ton welded stainless steel liner • campus is 40 acres
Biosphere 2 designed as completely closed ecological system to research interactions within ecosystems and possibility of colonization of space • $200 million for project provided by financial partner Edward Bass • remains largest closed system ever created • original mission was 4 female and 4 male scientists were to seal themselves inside for 2 years • numerous issues during experiment, including animosity among members of group and repeated need for replenishment from outside world • expose by Marc Cooper in Village Voice among many stories critical of Biosphere crew • now functions as department of U. of Arizona College of Science with mission, "To serve as a center for research, outreach, teaching and life-long learning about Earth, its living systems, and its place in the universe."
Wikipedia • TED video of crew-member Jane Poynter's story of her "2 years and 20 minutes" living in Biosphere 2 (15:57) • Rise and Fall of the Biosphere Project pdf • excerpt from Jayne Poynter's book, The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2