Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2. It is a large-scale research facility designed as a materially closed ecological system, originally built to explore the viability of sustaining human life in similar environments on other planets. Constructed in the late 1980s, the project gained global fame for its two initial sealed missions, which housed crews of eight "Biospherians" for extended periods. The ambitious project, located in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, has been a site of significant scientific inquiry, public controversy, and later, academic research into global climate change and Earth system science.

History and construction

The project was conceived in the 1980s by John P. Allen, the director of the Institute of Ecotechnics, and funded primarily by Ed Bass, a billionaire from Texas. The design and construction were managed by the joint venture company Space Biosphere Ventures. The facility was built on land owned by Bass near the town of Oracle. Construction began in 1987 and was completed in 1991, involving a team of engineers, architects, and ecologists. The name references Biosphere 1, which is Earth itself, indicating its goal of creating a second, smaller biosphere.

Design and structure

The sealed glass and space-frame structure covers 3.14 acres and contains several distinct biome areas. These include a rainforest, a mangrove wetland, a savanna grassland, a fog desert, and an ocean with a coral reef. An expansive agricultural area and human living spaces were also integrated. The entire structure was built above a "technosphere" of machinery to regulate temperature and support life support systems. Key engineering challenges involved managing atmospheric pressure and ensuring the integrity of the massive sealed envelope.

Missions and experiments

The first closed mission, known as Mission 1, began on September 26, 1991, and lasted two years, ending in September 1993. The crew of eight, including researchers like Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, lived inside, growing their own food and managing the ecosystems. A second mission commenced in March 1994 but was aborted after only six months due to management disputes and technical issues. These missions tested the stability of the miniature biosphere, agricultural productivity, and human psychology in isolation.

Scientific results and controversies

The missions yielded important, albeit unexpected, data. Scientists observed a rapid, unanticipated drop in atmospheric oxygen levels, which was later attributed to unexpected microbial activity in the soil. This forced the injection of oxygen from the outside, compromising the closure principle. The project also faced intense scrutiny and criticism from the mainstream scientific community, including figures from Columbia University and Stanford University, who questioned its management and scientific rigor. Allegations of mismanagement by Space Biosphere Ventures and a high-profile takeover by Steve Bannon on behalf of Ed Bass further fueled public controversy.

Later use and legacy

After the initial missions, Columbia University managed the facility from 1995 to 2003, converting it into a center for climate change research. In 2007, the site was purchased by CDO Ranching & Development, L.P. and later donated to the University of Arizona, which assumed management in 2011. Under the stewardship of the University of Arizona, it operates as a major research center focusing on Earth system science, including large-scale experiments on coral reef ecosystems and landscape evolution. The structure itself is a designated National Historic Landmark and remains a potent symbol of ambitious environmental engineering.

Category:Research facilities in Arizona Category:Closed ecological systems Category:Buildings and structures in Pinal County, Arizona