Biosphere 2 is a 3.14 acre structure built to be an artificial ecological system in Oracle, Arizona by a company called Space Biosphere Ventures. Built between 1987 and 1991, the name Biosphere 2 comes from the fact that Earth is biosphere 1. The facility explores interactions within life systems in a structure with 5 areas based on Earth’s biomes AMD an agricultural area and human living and working space. The facility studies the impact of humans and technology with nature. It also explored the use of biospheres in space colonisation and allows the study of an Earth like biome which can be manipulated without harming the Earth.

 

Two missions were conducted at biosphere 2 where humans were placed inside the facility living under the conditions of the biomes with nothing from the outside world getting in. The first mission lasted from 1991 to 1993, and the crew consisted of 8 members. The agricultural system produced 83% of the total diet, which consisted of bananas, papaya, sweet potatoes, rice and wheat, beets, peanuts, cowpea beans and lablab beans . The mission didn’t go without its problems, as the levels of carbon dioxide fluctuated wildly and as a result most of the species introduced into the system alongside the crew died. Another problem was with the oxygen levels. Starting at 20.9% they fell steadily to 14.5% in 16 months– equivalent to being at an altitude of 13,400 ft.

 

The Second Biosphere 2 mission involved 7 crew members and was active from 6th March 1994 and was ended prematurely on 6th September the same year due to an administrative decision to change the direction of the mission.

 

After the second mission Columbia University took over management from 1996 to 2003 The site was sold in January 2005 with houses and a hotel planned for construction. The University of Arizona announced in June 2007 that it took over management due to fears that the biomes would be demolished. The University of Arizona then announced in June 2011 that it would assume full ownership of Biosphere 2.

 

This information is courtesy of Will Youd, University of South Wales