Biosphere 2

Written By: Gail Clifford MD | Published By: Weekend Notes | December 4, 2021

https://www.weekendnotes.com/biosphere-2/

When you’re in Tucson, Arizona, a not-to-be-missed stop is Biosphere 2 in nearby Oracle. Nestled at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains on the edge of the Sonoran Desert, your imagination soars when you crest the hill and see the futuristic structure that is Biosphere 2.

Biosphere 1, just to get that question out of the way immediately, is the Earth herself.

From the white grid metal supporting the glass windows for a multi-storied jungle to the water tower appearing library that sits above the living space, this structure is easily imaginable in space as well as the Arizona desert.

One of the things the pictures can’t convey is the supreme peace of the area.

In late fall, when I visited, the sun warms your skin as a light breeze blows through your hair. You feel the dust and sand against your skin until you walk into the biosphere grounds where sprinklers are recycling water to create a lush ground scape.

But why something like this here?

I asked Executive Director, John Adams, that question. Was it because of the sun and land availability? “Yes,” he answered, “but also because of the relative stability of the region. There are few natural disasters here, with the exception of the summer monsoons. There are few hurricanes or earthquakes, and it is a fairly stable climate with more than 300 days of sunshine a year.“

History:
Following a long history of use as a Native American hunting ground and then mining, this land was developed by a Tucson dentist in the 1920s, a gentleman rancher, then sold to Lady Margaret of Suffolk. After her death, the property was sold to Motorola who developed a training institute with an airstrip, guest suites, meeting rooms and a dining area.

In 1979, a land swap between Motorola and the University of Arizona Foundation led to U. of A’s stewardship until 1984 when ownership was transferred to the founders of Biosphere 2, Space Biosphere Ventures, Inc.

It’s a 3.14-acre structure originally built as a closed ecological system to explore the web of complex interactions within life systems. The five areas, desert, rainforest, savannah, an agricultural area, and human living quarters, studied the interactions between humans, farming, technology and early potential for growing food, even in space. Construction lasted from January 1987 to September 1991.

One critical issue rectified prior to expedition onset was solved by creating the “lungs.” Two external systems were created to reduce the pressure caused on the structure itself with the expansion and contraction caused by the change in temperature each day. They’re a marvel unto themselves.

The Missions:
The first closed system experiment saw eight members of a scientific expedition survive from September 1991 to September 1993, in what’s been described as the prequel to “Survivor meets Big Brother.” A second, shorter expedition, occurred later in that decade.

While the engineering side was a rousing success, the sustainable system didn’t quite reach expectations. The imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide due to the soil’s metabolism led to the carbon dioxide being absorbed by the structure’s unsealed concrete, causing oxygen levels to decline rapidly and, for the Biospherians safety, additional oxygen was added.

From a practical level, they found difficulty in things so many of us take for granted, like having a cup of coffee. The effort required to grow, harvest, and roast eight cups of coffee took two weeks. For coffee lovers, that must have been a very long two years indeed.

At the end of the second mission, the project owner invited Columbia University to serve in an advisory capacity. They expanded their role to include research, education, and public outreach, only discontinuing in 2003. The University of Arizona ultimately purchased the property and developed the programs further.

Current Day Use:
Today, it’s open to visitors and scientists, students and the curious, to learn and explore and expand our knowledge base to better understand how our actions affect the Earth around us.

The area around Biosphere 2, designed to complement the desert environment, utilizes solar power to help study more efficient growth patterns in arid climates. It’s also filled with native wildlife which, in Arizona, means deer, turkey, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, skunks, rattlesnakes, tarantulas, scorpions, lizards, Gila monsters, and javelina. Do not approach them, for your own safety.

Walk through the visitor’s center and out the door, through the conference center buildings, past the scenic overlook, and down to door #7 to enter at the Crew’s kitchen. I met with John Adams, the executive director, in this area and then the upper Savannah over the ocean. And spoke with Orville Bell, one of the supremely informed tour guides.

This million-gallon tank of an ocean contains over 650,000 gallons of water with additional space taken by clams and reef systems which no longer include coral, but they hope to reintroduce them soon.

This ocean can be artificially manipulated to change up to two degrees Celsius per 24-hour period for scientific study. It can range from 25 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius, perhaps higher but they have chosen not to stress any organisms beyond this.

Research can be safely performed here that’s not possible in any other place on the planet. And the results were implemented to improve the quality of life for the inhabitants of our Earth.

This Scientific Community:

The thing about this community is the focus on the global threat and the importance of what happens in this environment.

I’m grateful for the scientists who came before us that set this unique opportunity in motion and for the scientists to come who will take us well beyond anything currently in our sensibilities.

John Adams says it best:

“What’s really cool is that this place is something that people can come and visit. I think it’s got something for everyone. So if there are plant enthusiasts, it’s a great place to come. If there are architectural enthusiasts, it’s a great place to come. If somebody really likes engineering, it’s remarkable to think about the engineering behind this facility AND what we’re doing today, inside Biosphere 2, I truly believe, is going to benefit us down the road.

So it’s one of those places that, for me, every day is inspirational. And it gives me hope. We often hear about everything being gloom and doom all the time. But we’ve got facilities like this and have researchers that are using places like this to complement what they’re doing in the field so that we can understand these systems and be more well informed. That gives me hope.“

It’s a wonderful place to visit and a great place to stir the imagination and help you dream big, by starting in a contained space and expanding your view to the Earth’s biosphere.

It’s an architectural, engineering, and scientific feat beyond the human experience worthy of exploration.

Next time you’re in Arizona, please consider a visit. You’ll be glad you did.