The “Biosphere 2” project failed

As part of the “Biosphere 2” project, researchers have investigated whether human life is possible in small colonies under a dome. The aim was to explore a second Earth. But the project seems to have failed.

What will human life look like in the future? Do we stay on earth and have to adapt to the changing environment? Or do we fly to foreign planets and discover new galaxies?

Researchers around the world are asking themselves these questions and are working on new concepts for housing in the future. After the Italian space agency reported success for a house on the moon, a project was less successful.

It's about the so-called Biosphere 2. At the beginning of the 1990s, what was probably the most ambitious experiment of all time began. Because Biosphere 2 was a miniature Earth under a glass dome. Eight people were supposed to live and research there for two years. The focus was on researching future life models and possible settlements in space.

Biosphere 2 fails due to deficiency symptoms and lack of oxygen

Those responsible for the project planned a huge area for this. They built Biosphere 2 on an area of ​​17,000 square meters in the Arizona desert. In addition to the land masses, the team also created its own miniature ocean, a rainforest with mangroves and deserts in miniature. Cost: around 150 million euros.

After settlement, however, there were initial problems. The inhabitants of Biosphere 2 faced many challenges. Among them: the consequences of malnutrition and a lack of oxygen. The reasons for this included the unstable atmosphere beneath the dome and the manipulation of the experiments. Because additional food and a CO₂ filter were smuggled in.

The area is still in operation today

Although the eight crew members faced difficulties, they remained under the dome for two years. After they moved out, Steve Bannon, later an advisor to Donald Trump, took over the management of the project. A second crew moved in, but the experiment eventually ended with a spectacular break-in by former crew members who broke through the dome's airtight seal.

Although the project ultimately failed and much of the research data recorded was lost, it produced important insights into ocean acidification and the effects of carbon dioxide on coral reefs. Today, scientists continue to conduct research in Biosphere 2, which is now also an internationally known tourist attraction.

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