Biosphere 2

So Life Magazine rated Biosphere 2 a top place to visit, so we decided to go see it with some family. It was fun but the hype was bigger than the bang. On the website it talks about the million gallon ocean, rain forest, etc. Well, the ocean is a real working ocean but it isn't pretty. The coral reef doesn't look anything like it does in "Finding Nemo". Not that it is all about looks but really how fun can looking at a million gallons of dirty water be? The rain forest is pretty cool but without monkeys it is just a little like being in a misty greenhouse. For about half of the tour you are in the desert which is hot and uncomfortable without much to see. Sorry for sounding so negative. There were a few things that were interesting. The Biosphere was actually the most sealed self sustained building on earth at one point for like seven years. They raised chickens to eat and there is something about an infestation of the cockroaches which they purposely introduced. The sad thing was that the people inside mostly scientists were all friends to begin with and after there was a major division between two main groups of people that frankly didn't like each other anymore. I suppose being cooped up with the same few people for seven years would get old. There is still research that happens at the sphere but it isn't sealed obviously if we were able to visit. I thought really one of the best parts was just the structure itself. It is pretty cool.

This was the very best most interesting part of the tour. And I guess part of a star trek movie was filmed in the tunnel leading to this. This is called the lung. It is a 30 ton roof that can expand up when the air expands (like on a hot summer day in Tucson) and it can contract down when the air contracts (like on a colder night). This of course was really important when the biosphere was sealed. Not so important now but when you open the door to leave this room the ceiling starts falling as the wind rushes out the door. Also, the echo in there is the best I have ever ever heard. I mean it is incredible. The tour guide had us yell (which made my little neice O. scream too) and the echo lasted like minutes.

So overall it was a fun outing but I wouldn't totally recommend for children or anyone who can't do stairs. Also, do you know what the Biosphere 1 is? Well, we all thought that it was like the first attempt at the structure or something but no... It is the earth itself. Thus Biosphere 2.