The secret to living on Mars may be found in the depths of the ocean.
Scientist Joseph Dituri has spent 30 days of a 100-day stint in a compact, 55-square-metre pod off the Florida Keys to see whether people can withstand high pressure environments.
The 55-year-old retired Naval officer is being studied by medical experts to see how the body performs under extreme conditions in hopes to prepare astronauts who may one day make the long and arduous journey to Mars.
“The human body has never been underwater that long, so I will be monitored closely,” Dituri told the news service at the University of South Florida, where he is associate professor. “This study will examine every way this journey impacts my body, but my null hypothesis is that there will be improvements to my health due to the increased pressure.”
Before, during and after the project, Dituri will complete a series of psychosocial, psychological and medical tests, including blood panels, ultrasounds and electrocardiograms, as well as stem cell tests.
His undersea quarters are cramped but outfitted with a kitchen, bathroom, work area, two bedrooms and a small ‘swimming pool’ that he’ll use to enter and exit the pod, according to The Daily Mail. The pool also comes with a window, although the view trades sunshine for the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean.
The professor has been living in his new habitat since March 1, but his time hasn’t been spent entirely alone. Scientists, oceanographers and school students on field trips will also make the nine-metre plunge to visit the professor in his new habitat. Dituri is also teaching online classes at his university.
Dituri seemed to be in high spirits when the Mail checked in with him on day 24. “I’m loving it,” he said. “I’ve got a coffee maker because God knows science does not happen without coffee.”
He also noted other accommodations at his new home, located at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo. “There is a TV, although I really do not know how to turn it on. I have a small freezer like in a hotel room,” he said, while also noting he keeps a stash of chocolate in the pod.
The scientist has also had a chance to study the world around him, and came across a species previous researchers had missed.
“We found a single-celled ciliate, a single-celled organism that we believe is a brand new species to science,” Dituri told The Independent during a video chat. “People have dived in this area thousands and thousands of times – it’s been here, we just didn’t look.”
Dituri is also looking into the benefits of living under pressure. He mentioned in the USF interview a study that showed cells grew five times faster while under pressure, which could increase longevity and help fight off diseases.
“So, we suspect I am going to come out super-human!”
A challenge for Dituri will be receiving enough vitamin D, which is absorbed by our skin through sunlight. He plans to supplement his intake with foods rich in the nutrient. The lack of sun would also affect his circadian rhythm, which regulates our internal clock, which may affect his sleep.
If Dituri completes his 100-day stay in the pod, he will have broken the record for most days spent underwater by a non-military member. The previous record, which stands at 73 days, was set by two professors from Tennessee, who also stayed at Jules’ Undersea Lodge.
NASA has also pre-tested Mars missions in the Atlantic previously with Canada’s latest astronaut in space, Jeremy Hansen, who performed simulated space walks, tested rocks and trained in isolation for about 10 days off the coast of Florida in 2014.
Post a Comment