For millennia, Arizona's Sonoran Desert has consisted of trackless miles of scrub, cactus, and bare patches of sand punctuated by the occasional upthrust of rocky crags like the Superstition Mountains and Mount Lemmon and, more recently, little towns with names like Globe and Oracle. However, between 1987 and 1991, a structure arose in the Sonoran so unusual in both appearance and purpose that over 100,000 visitors have come to see it, not to mention the hundreds and hundreds of researchers and students who have flocked to it for more extended study. This structure is known as Biosphere 2.

First Visit to Biosphere 2

By: Paul S Cilwa	Posted: 10/15/2007		Page Views: 1,637
Hashtags: #Biosphere2 #Arizona #Travel
We pay a visit to the world's largest greenhouse.
Estimated reading time: 8 minute(s) (1675 words)

Biosphere 2 is Bass and Allen's experiment, a $150 million greenhouse or terrarium designed to be a closed system into which only sunlight can enter, and in which everything else would be recycled. The question was: Can we, in fact, construct such a closed system? We might have to if we want to visit Mars. We would certainly have to in order to visit other stars, because it simply wouldn't be possible to pack enough food for a centuries-long trip. Even just going to Mars would take two years, one-way. So the original experiment included eight people, four men and four women, who would voluntarily enclose themselves in Biosphere 2 and live, materially cut off from the outside world, for two years.

Return to Biosphere 2

By: Paul S Cilwa	Posted: 6/5/2010		Page Views: 1,255
Hashtags: #Biosphere2 #Arizona
Zach and I visit Biosphere 2, the world's largest greenhouse, with some friends.
Estimated reading time: 6 minute(s) (1368 words)

In October of 2007, I took Zach and most of the rest of the family to Biosphere 2, the world's largest greenhouse, near Oracle, Arizona. Today our friend Peter wanted to bring three young friends from Germany to see it and invited Zach and me to come along as experienced tour guides.