BioSphere 1

Experiments with biospheres that contain relatively simple life forms have been carried out for decades, and a 21-day trial period in 1989 that included humans preceded the construction of BS2. However, BS2 is not in fact the second in a series: the Earth is considered to be Biosphere 1.

Human inhabitants

Originally, people (called ‘Biospherians’) were sealed in the dome. They were self-sufficient, except for electricity, which was supplied by a 3.7-megawatt power station on the outside (solar panels were considered too expensive). The original team of eight in residence 1991-93 was replaced in March 1994 with a new team of seven people sealed in for six and a half months. In 1995, it was decided that further research would not involve sealing people within the biosphere. Researchers and students routinely go in and out of the Biosphere 2 facility.

The facility has been open to the public for limited access and over 2 million people have visited Biosphere 2 since the early 1990s. Public access was expanded on 9 February 2004 to fully open the site to the public as a tourist attraction.

Organization

Biosphere 2 was originally run by a private company partly funded by ecology-minded oil millionaire Edward P Bass and was called Space Biosphere Ventures. Space Biosphere Ventures investors expected to find commercial applications for the techniques developed in the course of the project. As of 1 January 1996 Columbia University, USA, joined Space Biosphere Ventures to form Biosphere 2 Center, Inc. The purpose of the joint venture was to use the facility for conferences and classes as well as further short-term experiments with the artificial ecosystems that do not involve isolating humans inside.

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Biosphere 2 Centre