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A History of the ‘Earth in a Bottle’

Biosphere 2 first took the world’s attention in 1991, when eight life on shaping the planet itself,” Bass says. “And, if you’re going
crew members entered the facility and sealed themselves in for to understand the whole, it’s useful to start by understanding
two years of study, with the aim of sustaining themselves on food the parts.” Accordingly, Biosphere 2 features five biome areas:
they grew in the structure. rainforest, ocean, savannah, desert and marsh.
“In the 1970s, my colleagues and I studied biomes and their Biosphere 2 hosted two residential missions — each of
interconnectedness,” says Ed Bass. “The big idea that came after 10 which came with well-publicized challenges — before Columbia
years work was to build an experimental apparatus to emulate the University took over management in 1995.
biosphere of earth — a second biosphere.” “Columbia conducted great research at the facility,” says
Bass funded the project, which was inspired by the work of Joaquin Ruiz. The UA leased Biosphere 2 in 2007, then the
innovative thinkers ranging from Vladimir Vernadsky, who coined remarkable structure was given to the UA in 2011. “Over the
the word “biosphere,” to Buckminster Fuller. The initiative was led past 10 years, we’ve expanded efforts that Columbia began. The
by inventor John P. Allen. university has invested in its success and sees it as an important
“If you’re going to understand the planet where we live, you differentiator.”
have to understand the biosphere of the planet and the influence of

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