the wandering chick
...Biosphere 2
Can Earth be duplicated?
the glass portion of the biom

Biosphere 2 is the name given to an earth and ecology research facility at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Oracle, Arizona.

It was built for the purpose of determining whether a small group of humans could develop and live in a self-sustaining colony.

For two years in the early 1990s, eight scientists devoted their lives to this exploration and experimentation, bound to the complex with no connection to the outside world. They produced all their own food and oxygen and recycled their own water and waste.

Today, the complex is owned by the University of Arizona which continues to study earth sciences. Tours are available daily,

biosphere2 exterior
This glass portion of the Biosphere2 contained most of the day-to-day research and living facilities along with various habitats under which conditions could be tested. The habitats include a rainforest, a savannah grassland, an ocean and a desert.
water experiments bldg
Research in this building focused on water's interactions with soil, rock, energy and life.
rainforest
the ocean

Left: the Rainforest habitat

Top Right: the Ocean habitat

Bottom Right: the Desert habitat

the desert
underground tunnel to the south lung
Entrance to the 'South Lung' where air-control was studied
the kitchen
Here is the kitchen where the crew took turns preparing their food.
the living quarters
an exterior shot
Each crew member had his or her own living quarters which comprised a living room/office downstairs and a bedroom upstairs. A bath was shared between two members.
Part of the complex that was not used as a research facility includes office, admin, conference buildings and lodging. Now maintained by the University of Arizona, the grounds are quite impressive.
part of the exterior grounds
the exterior setting
The Santa Catalina Mountains provide a nice backdrop for the Biospere 2, located north of Tucson.

If you're interested in seeing more Arizona locations, please return to the Arizona home page.

Thank you for visiting these photo pages.

If you're interested in seeing more, please return to my Main Menu at the bottom of my home page and make your selection.

All images within thewanderingchick.com Web site are copyright protected. They may not be downloaded or otherwise copied.

Please contact me if you think a particular photo or set of photos can be used in your publication.