Biosphere 2-Wednesday's Adventure

Our previous Biosphere 2 visit was in March 2010. I did a lot of research pre and post that visit, so I won't cover that info again. Here are my two blog posts from that visit: Biosphere 2, The Buildings and Part 2 of Biosphere 2.

I find it interesting when I look back at the photos I have taken and the photos from a second or third visit. I take photos of the same things. In other words, what caught my eye the first time, continues to catch my eye every visit. So forgive the photos that may look the same. I will have different ones in this post.

I thought Bill, as a former Earth Science teacher, would enjoy the Biosphere 2 tour. He remembered the story when it appeared in Current Science, but like me, he thought it must have been YEARS before 1991. Our tour guide was a very knowledgeable U of A person, with a ton of energy and WAY too much information. She was good, but I was on overload. So instead of a wealth of info in this post, enjoy the photos and if you want more info, google it or look at my posts from 2010.

biome buildings on the right

living quarters and research areas on the left

the rain forest did not have 80% humidity last Wednesday

the plants are the very same ones planted in 1991

I did not know Frankincense came from a tree

unusual shedding bark

Frankincense leaves

our tour group

love the lines of the dome

the sign said it was an elephant tree

it was in the desert biome

an octopus cactus

a hallway to the mechanical area

the water was/is? recycled 

toilet to tap

she talked about the importance of the experiments and 

research happening in this area

it will be our future

the lung controlled the air pressure when

the Biosphere 2 was sealed during the two

experiences

the lung was a unique invention that prevented

the glass dome from shattering

when she opened the door, we could see the 'table' move towards

the floor as the rubber forced it down

the lung helped control the expanding (heated air)

and contracting (cooled air) in the biomes

part of the living quarters of the scientists

the 8 scientists had their own 2 story quarters

this was the living area

the spiral staircase led to the sleeping area

a bathroom was shared by 2 people

this was the living quarter of Jane Poynter, who continues to

do related research because of her 2 year stay in the Biosphere 2

Remember, the 8 people lived inside the self-sustaining domes for 2 years and 20 minutes. Much was learned through their experiment. I did not realize that press, congressmen, and the general public often was on sight watching the scientists through the glass walls as they went about their work and experiments. And I did not remember that initially, the Biosphere 2 was built as a space station on earth. 

I will do another shorter post about the history of the land and the buildings. That is also quite interesting.