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Story and Photos by Dennis Begin
Our present day world is beset with global environmental problems, be it deforestation, black carbon emissions, dependency on polluting fossil fuels, polar ice caps melting and, of course, global warming. For a very brief moment, on September 26, 1991, when eight scientists entered Biosphere 2, the world was fascinated with how this visionary science experiment could change our world.
Visiting Biosphere 2 was never a priority because of its isolated location, an hour drive north of downtown Tucson, on Oracle Highway 77. Besides, science is not one of my major interests. Talk about being wrong! On approaching Biosphere 2, it felt like being on a strange planet due to the wilderness area of the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Sonoran Desert. The futuristic architecture of the geodesic domes, pyramidal greenhouses and library tower was convincing enough that we were in for a unique experience. Following lunch at their small cafe, we joined a tour group.
Biosphere 1 is our world. Biosphere 2 was a conceptual and engineering marvel built to study natural environments under a sealed bubble, as if in outer space. In fact, that was one of the objectives, how man could be self-sustaining in space over many years. Biosphere 2 was designed to be an air-tight replica of the Earth’s environment, sealed top to bottom with either glass or stainless steel. The objective was to study different ecosystems and understand the interplay between water, sun, soil and 3,800 plants. It was also a human experiment, called Human Habitat 1, in which individuals would become completely self-sustaining, growing their own food, recycling water and disposing of waste. During the two year period, the eight scientists, four women and four men, would be completely cut off from the outside world.
The concept of Biosphere 2 was the brainchild of John P. Allen and backed by 150 million dollars from Texas oil tycoon Edward P. Bass. The land was bought by Biosphere Ventures in 1984 and took four years of construction at a cost of 50 million dollars. Inside the sphere are five environmental biomes that represent: 1. Rainforest, 2. 0cean and Coral Reefs, 3. Savannah Grasslands, 4. Mangrove Wetlands and 5. Fog Desert. There was also an Agro area, with ½ acre to grow organic food, along with pens for chickens, goats and pigs.
Guided Tour
The guided tour is part of the $20.00 admission fee and you are free to walk the 3.14 acre grounds. The tour concentrates on the Rainforest, Ocean and Savannah Biomes. Human Habitat 1 includes individual residences, a science lab, computer command center and a common kitchen\dining area, which are all open to the public. The tour gets really interesting in the underground tunnels that are lined with pumps, pipes, tanks and air vents. The doors are identical to those used on battleships. After seventy five minutes we emerged in an air lung and finally sunshine. The guide’s warning had been, “…if you get lost….we may find you.” In contrasting what is below ground vs above ground, scientist Roy Walford said it best, “…we lived in the Garden of Eden, built on top of an aircraft carrier”.
What Went Wrong
Although the biospherians felt they had succeeded, Biosphere 2 was considered by many to be a failure. Critics claimed that biosphere was never self-sustaining, having an adjacent electric power source run by a natural gas power plant. Within six months, the Co2 levels were twelve times higher than outside the sphere and the Co2 scrubbers, similar to those found in submarines and secretly installed, had to be turned on. As oxygen levels continued to decrease equal to breathing at 17,000 feet, all members became lethargic and suffered sleep apnea. It finally became necessary to open the air locks on a daily basis to assist the two mechanical lungs.
Since they were largely vegetarians with limited food choices, the participants suffered from lack of calories and, after six months, lost 16% of their body fat. One male scientist lost over 50 pounds during that time. Jane Poynter stated, “…we suffocated, starved and went mad”. Along with eating the seed stocks, the animals eventually had to be slaughtered. There were even rumors of late night pizza deliveries. Issues around food continued to plague the experiment.
More alarming was the relationship among the biospherians. They suffered from “confined environmental syndrome”. After two years and twenty minutes of living in a confined space, the eight were badly split into fractions, barely able to speak to one another. The science experiments proved more successful than the human experience. Two of the participants however, Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, married shortly after they emerged from the biosphere.
There was a second attempt with Human Habitat 2, from March to September, 1994, but it failed due to management and financial problems.
What Was Learned
Biosphere 2 was the world’s largest laboratory for global ecology. There were some positive accomplishments which included:
1. NASA learned how to recycle water on the International Space Station.
2. Columbia University learned how to preserve coral reefs and acidification.
3. The University of Arizona, now the owner of Biosphere 2, uses the facilities as an on-site classroom and convention center, continuing to research such topics as terrestrial water cycles and how it relates to ecology, soil chemistry and climate change.
Critics claimed that Biosphere 2 may have been more science fiction than science. That conclusion should only be reached by actually visiting Biosphere 2, taking the tour, viewing the many multimedia exhibits and making up your own mind. The visit makes for an interesting afternoon with some thoughtful discussion about the future of human survival.