The Sad State of Biosphere 2, Sixteen Years Later
By: Dahlia Rideout (View Profile)
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
Built in just under four years and completed in 1991, Biosphere 2 was intended to study five areas of the natural biomes, their agricultural area, and to observe our living/working space. Specifically how we interact with each other under such confined circumstances.
Unfortunately the research was never completed.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
One view of Biosphere 2 was that it was “the most exciting scientific project to be undertaken in the U.S. since President John F. Kennedy launched us toward the moon”.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
Agricultural was an on obvious and critical focus of Biosphere 2. It was planted over the course of a year before closure, and biospherians managed their farming and harvesting of food grown inside once enclosed.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
Many week-long periods of simulated full closure tests were performed and data was gathered on their agricultural success. The crew were then able to adapt to their anticipated workload.
Overall these mini-missions were far too short to accurately provide meaningful data as to whether or not the team had achieved a level of agricultural success that could sustain Biosphere’s eight people for two years.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
The Biosphere 2 was commanding in size. At approximately two and a half football fields, it remains the largest closed system ever created.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
As one could imagine the conditions were emotionally challenging. Prior to the first closure mission’s midpoint, the participants had split into two groups and those who had once been friends became enemies.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
Biosphere 2 had two closure experiments appropriately named Missions 1 and Mission 2. Mission 1 consisted of eight people during 1991-93. There was a six month hiatus that researchers used to evaluate conditions and engineers provided improvements prior to the second closure with a crew of seven people.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
The second mission began on March 6, 1994 and ended abruptly in September of 1994. The crew included Norberto Romo (Capt.), John Druitt, Matt Finn, Pascale Maslin, Charlotte Godfrey, Rodrigo Romo and Tilak Mahato for a ten month test.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
The second mission ended due to a financial dispute outside of the Biosphere 2. In fact it was a management dispute over the finances of the project. This conflict resulted in the lock out of on-site management and the mission to be ended prematurely.
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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Biosphere 2 was an ambitious project to create a self-sustaining gigantic sealed structure where people can live indefinitely. It ended up as a failure in many ways. Sixteen years after the last inhabitants left, photographer Noah Sheldon captured the current state with a series of eerie and captivating photos.
Click on image for a larger view.
Images copyright Noah Sheldon
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First published January 2010
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http://www.divinecaroline.com/22355/90964-sad-state-biosphere-2-sixteen