Can humans survive inside a giant, airtight glass bubble?
In short: In the Arizona desert, scientists built a 3.14-acre experiment to mimic Earth. This massive, airtight vivarium was designed to test if humans could thrive in a closed ecological system—a vital precursor for the survival of life in outer space.
Constructed between 1987 and 1991, Biosphere 2 was intended as a materially closed ecological system. The mission was to study the complex interactions between humans, farming, and nature within a controlled environment. To achieve this, the facility featured seven distinct biomes, including a rainforest, an ocean with a coral reef, and a savannah grassland, all housed within a steel and glass space frame. The structure's design included large diaphragms called lungs to manage volume changes caused by temperature shifts. To maintain the environment, an onsite plant provided electricity and water through complex piping.
The project underwent two primary closure experiments. The first, running from 1991 to 1993, faced significant hurdles, including food and oxygen shortages and the death of many animal and plant species. Interestingly, the crew's metabolism adapted to their low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet, becoming more efficient at extracting nutrients. Despite these struggles and intense group tensions that saw friends become enemies, the crew managed to maintain the system. The facility's airtight seals were specially engineered to ensure an extremely low annual leak rate. This precision allowed researchers to monitor subtle atmospheric changes, such as the slow decline of oxygen.
The second experiment, held from March to September 1994, saw greater success, achieving total food sufficiency without needing external oxygen injections. While many vertebrate species and pollinators died off, a surprising amount of original biodiversity persisted. Today, the facility is owned by the University of Arizona and serves as a research center and public attraction, continuing its mission to explore the living systems of Earth. The agricultural zone was remarkably productive, yielding far more food than many efficient traditional farming communities. This high output was essential for supporting the inhabitants during their time in the enclosure.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Biosphere 2
- Also: Art Institute of Chicago — Daily Menu, Biosphere 2, Oracle, Arizona, from the series "Sweet Earth: Experimental Utopias in America" · CC0 (data); description CC BY 4.0
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