May 11, 2006
We found Biosphere 2 to be quite interesting. It was created to better understand Biosphere 1, the Earth. September 26, 1991 Eight crew members, the Biospherians, who had undergone a two-year training program, entered Biosphere 2 shortly after sunrise for the initial two-year experimental to test the first physical model of Earth's biosphere. Biosphere 2 had been designed for a hundred year study of complex ecological systems interactions. They overcame problems along the way and a second experimental group followed later but cut their mission short due to problems. For more information please link to: http://www.biospheres.com/experimentchrono1.html Experiments are still being done there but it is no longer a closed atmosphere and it was opened to the public in 1990 for tours conducted daily. Biosphere 2 covers 3.15 acres. It is 91 feet at its highest point and is sealed off from Earth below by a 500-ton welded stainless steel liner. A host of instruments constantly monitor the air, soil and water. Biosphere 2 contains five biomes—a rainforest, desert, savanna, marsh and ocean. The 25-foot ocean contains a million gallons of salt water and has a coral reef, ocean plants and animals. Biosphere 2 houses more than 3,000 species of living organisms. Two spherical buildings, called The Lung, were constructed to control the air pressure/ heat in the Biosphere. The ceiling is a rubber bladder when deflated lies on the floor and rises as the pressure/heat in the biosphere rises. The buildings are huge as you can tell from the picture.