Field Trip to Southeast Arizona - Day One

Sandy, Becky, Lindsay and I set out for adventure today in southeastern Arizona. We drove through Florence and then south to Tucson. The desert wildflowers along the roadside and on many of the hills were spectacular.

Our first stop was just north of Tucson at the Biosphere 2. What a fascinating place!

Biosphere 2 is in the top three engineering marvels of all time. The 1.5 hour tour provided ample reasons for the top billing. It is the only place on the planet where men have successfully recreated a self-contained environment and atmosphere. Scientists use this sealed environment to study the interaction of ecosystems and plant life without contamination from pollutants. There are enormous implications for planet earth, as scientists can isolate the impact changes in weather on ecosystems.

During the early 90's, 8 scientists were sealed into the Biosphere 2 structure for two years. With the exception of 2 emergency medical treatments, no one left the structure for the duration of the project. All the food eaten was grown in the sphere. The scientist residents represented many different specializations from medicine to agronomy to chemistry and others. The intention was to seal inside a self sufficient population to conduct experiments and work together. They had unlimited communication with project managers and family. Interestingly, most of the residents learned to dislike each other by the end of the experience to one degree or another. Two, however, were married after the conclusion of the experiment and live in Tucson to this day.

Several funny experiences happened during the project. The project called for monkeys in the rainforest. When the scientist would go into the rainforest to work, the little monkeys would challenge them. When the scientists ignored the monkeys, the monkeys would pick the green bananas, which were hard as a rock, and throw them at the scientists. The scientists started wearing hard hats. Eventually the monkeys proved to be too caustic and were captured and sent back to the San Diego Zoo.

The project also called for pigs. It was hoped that the pigs would produce piglets to provide a sustainable meat supply. The pigs became domesticated and never fulfilled the measure of their creation. Instead, they repeatedly escaped from their pen and foraged in the vegetable garden. Eventually, the residents decided that they would solve the problem by eating them!

The experiment unfortunately failed at one level. El Nino and a volcanic eruption in the Phillipines reduced the number of days of sunlight below normal for Tucson. As a result, the level of photosynthesis was less than needed to sustain life in the sealed environment for two years. This meant that levels of CO2 rose and levels of O2 fell to a dangerous level. Working and moving around was very difficult. The project leaders were faced with abandoning the project and evacuating residents or pumping oxygen into the system. The latter course was selected and the residents finished the two-year commitment. The hope for a self-sustaining atmospere was not achieved.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this closed ecosystem is the physical structure and the mechanical systems that maintain the various climates and habitats. The skeleten of the Biosphere 2 is made of steel tubing connected in a specific geometric configuration to support all the glass panels. Stainless steel also lines the entire basement area to eliminate any external contaminents from seeping into the environment. See the pictures below:

This is the farm and livestock area. Several thousand square feet were designated for growing edible crops. There was even a configuration for growing rice.

Additional space was set aside for raising pigs, chickens and goats to provide meat, eggs and milk.

The glass canopy covering the desert, savannah

and the rain forest areas. Three ecosystems coexisting and thriving under the same roof. This meant that temperature, wind and moisture were regulated to achieve the perfect climate to support the vegetation.

Looking up at the structure from the inside out. Obviously, being inside the structure was all the more impressive.

Looking at the structure from the vantage point

of the oceanic area. This is a self-sustaining body of salt water with wave-making capability. During the two year experiment, sea life was present. Talapia was raised for food.

This is a picture of the mechanical plant in the two-acre basesment under the biosphere structure.

The picture does not do justice to the complex

equipment and redundant systems in place

to create and maintain a life-sustaining atmosphere.

Nothing like it had been created before this project and there is nothing like it anywhere in the world today. It is truly a marvel.

The structure has to breathe since it is a sealed

system. This shaft leads downward to a huge,

huge "breathing" mechanism that regulates air

pressure from dawn to dusk.

This one of two breathing rooms. The multi-ton ceiling, the black rubbery looking material, is held up entirely by air pressure. The ceiling moves up and down to regulate air pressure as air heats up under the glass structure during the day and cools down at night. If this system were not in place, the windows would violently blow out! So critical is this system that a second, redundant system was built for back up. Notice the opening in the center of the floor. This opening is a water reservoir which contains recycled water, drainage evaporation and collected condensation from the heating and cooling of the structure. This water is reintroduced as rain to complete the cycle.

This is a picture of the rainforest area. The rainfall system simulates about 100 inches of rain a year. Misters supply the ongoing mist which can be seen in the picture. The growth of the plant life is very fast. The tops of the tallest plants need to be pruned regulary so they don't break the windows.

The light you see is not the first vision but light

coming through the canopy.

This is a banana tree, one of many that supplied

the residents during their two-year stay.

Bananas proved to be plentiful while other food was scarce. Demand for the bananas was so great that the room to these trees was eventually locked to keep the residents from hoarding bananas to supplement their food supply.

The average weight loss of the residents at the end of the two years was 40 lbs. per person. One can imagine why the bananas were so popular.