For human life ON, or OFF EARTH to survive, we need to completely understand sealed ecosystems.
The problem is, we don’t.
We have to better understand sealed ecosystems so we can more effectively alter our own. In fact, prolonged human habitation of earth might depend on it. This situation is caused in part, by climate destabilization, often referred to as as global warming brought about by the artificial introduction of large volumes of Co2 gas into the atmosphere.
Problem #1 : We live, in the very environment that we inadvertently altered and now seek to begin managing to survive. To minimize risk we run multitudes of simulations run through computer modeling programs, before we apply them to our life-sustaining-world. Unfortunately these programs can’t adequately take into account how diversity of life adapts (invasive species) to shifting ecological niches within different or altering ecosystems. As such we have a limited understanding of interconnected relationships in complex closed-loop environments. Our immediate survival may depend on rectifying this immediately.
Problem #2 : We want to leave earth, to colonize mars, the moon, or to survive for prolonged periods of time “off Earth ie: in space”, to do this we need to fully understand how ecosystems work in varying atmospheric and gravimetric conditions. If we do not, we have absolutely no chance of becoming a multi-planetary species, (the goal of which is to ensure a higher likelihood of species survival in case of planetary mass extinction). Simulating artificial or variable conditions on other planets or in space is problematic in part due to gravity’s effect on growth and in part, due to outmoded design. The survival of humanity long-term absolutely depends on us becoming experts at this, very rapidly.
Problem #3 : We, as a society, don’t really know how to make, or sustain an ecosystem that supports human life long-term, without constant support and intervention. We don’t have enough real world experimental data. So therefore we have a generally limited grasp of life cycles (nitrification, circadian, thermal convection, microbiol etc…) when applied to complex closed loop ecosystems. Our own world, is too large to fully understand our impacts, and too complex to adequately measure the changes. In smaller ones, massive human supporting bio-domes have been attempted, failed and were abandoned. The most successful progress has been in the hands of amateurs. “Full sealed” mico-biosphere conditions, mostly created by hobbyists, have maintained homeostatic conditions the longest, but conditions have not been properly measured. A middle ground between these two approaches must be explored to develop our understanding of the relationships of these cycles and gain essential information to our evolution. This is essential to solving Problem #1 and Problem #2 and right now, we are moving backwards in this technology when we should be moving forwards.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence — Carl Sagan.
Exhibit A:
BIOS-3 was a closed ecosystem in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
Its construction began in 1965, and was completed in 1972. BIOS-3 was suitable for up to three persons, and was initially used for developing closed ecosystems capable of supporting humans. It was divided into 4 compartments.
The longest lasting crew was 180 days (or 6 months). After 12 years of experimentation it was shut down. Permanent stability was never achieved.
Exhibit B:
Biosphere 2 cost nearly $200 million to build in Arizona USA.
Originally constructed between 1987 and 1991 by Space Biosphere Ventures, it required an additional cost of about $1 million per year for fossil fuel energy was needed to keep all the systems running.
It failed to support human life after 2 years. A second attempt some years later lasted 6 months.
Permanent stability was never achieved.
It really is a really great story, I highly recommend learning about it.
WATCH THIS VIDEO.
Exhibit C:
More recently in 2018 a man in British Columbia Canada began his time inside his own man-made isolated environment. The dome, which he calls a “tiny version of Earth in a jar,” is a sealed 1,000 cubic foot structure that holds roughly 200 plants to keep the air clean.
This was a poorly conceived, planned and executed attempt, (also very dangerous) but nonetheless, fantastic for raising awareness. His one month stay was shortened, for his survival, when rising Co2 levels forced him to leave the structure after 3 days.
When it comes to creating sealed complex ecosystems generally we have failed miserably, or in other cases, disregard completely the aspect of keeping it sealed and leaving it alone.
So that means if you include movies, the most qualified Biodome scientist at this point in time is Pauly Shore …
Now let’s look at the few small scale successes in this area.
Exhibit D:
The most successful attempt at a sealed biosphere was sort of “accidental” .
In 1960 David Latimer got curious and decided to plant a glass bottle with seed. He would have never guessed it would turn into a beautiful case study of a self-sustaining sealed ecosystem. (not supporting humans) Resulting in a 54 year long sealed ecosystem, as far as I know, the current record for a man-made ecosphere.
Exhibit E:
Hobbyists have taken this project quite a bit further during the last few years, adding a greater level of complexity to the closed Terrariums. Knowledge gained from Aquariums, Hydroponics, Aeroponics and Aquaponics and immense patience. Allowing nature to find its own balance in the sealed environment, (by keeping it sealed).
Unfortunately within these hobbyist containers, there are no sensors, no measurement readings. No way of tracking the conditions within. If scaled up, would they be life supporting? If so, at what scale would be required? Can food be grown in this way?
This raises many questions, but does propose one very obvious answer.
Observation:
The key take-away from these smaller experiments is that, in an environment (that remains sealed) stability can be occasionally achieved by first designing “seemingly” stable conditions (still receiving cyclical light and warmth), sealing it, and allowing it to find homeostatic equilibrium on its own.
To put it comically. Life finds a way.
Theory:
Perhaps after the experiments at Biosphere 2 , they should have sealed the doors and left the environment to self-stabilize, allowing a massively complex closed loop ecosystem to develop ‘naturally’ (perhaps even after periods of massive instability) It could’ve provided the first large scale experiment on the diversity driven homeostatic robustness of biological ecosystems. A topic I’ve been researching and testing theories of, for a few years. With more experimentation we could better understand the mechanisms behind complex interrelationships, in components of an environment, which may be useful for upcoming problems. ie : climate change.
I think research into these areas may become essential, not just for air “scrubbing’, but used to improve, or provide room for, growing food, in space.
Even genetically modified plants.
Every opportunity for supporting life will need to be explored, if we are to be prepared to be planting ecosystems on Mars and exploring the cosmos.
Now lets look at some innovative steps that may lead us towards some possible… Solutions ?
When I was a kid, I always wondered why astronauts didn’t make a micro-earth aquariums (when they were in space) by putting a glob of water on a rock. Here is a washcloth. (I also wanted to build a micro hyperbaric-chamber-aquarium so I could keep a deep-sea angler fish.) More recently, I’ve been experiencing micro environments and unique environments first hand” using #VR and it got me thinking about how new information and ideas could be applied to the problem.
A potential option is to consider making zero-G biospheres that float independently.
A light at the center. encircled by structure floating in space.
A concept based on Dyson Spheres designs. Spherical space-bound free floating “greenhouses” that would be internal illuminated and also spinning to create an interior micro-gravity.
A mini home-made aquarium solar system.
Centralized, efficient energy distribution while simultaneously maintaining a pocket of micro -gravity by spinning the system and taking advantage of centrifugal and centripetal forces on the walls.
This creates an artificial gravity for the smaller scale environment inside.
A pocket of life.
Rotating at high speed.
The interior walls being the surface of the environment: The garden that grows your food and medicine, your source for oxygen and air filtration.
Tiny little floating worlds for Vegetables, fruits, trees, mosses, algaes, lichen, bugs, worms, bacteria and much more…
Zero-G liquid based bio-spheres could potentially apply to aquaponics as well. (Much more R&D is required in this area)
Imagine that instead of food coloring, this was a collection of algae(s).
Futuristic “green houses” may be independent, aqua or hydroponic and may be found to be spinning on Dyson-based designs. Perfectly sealed bio-domes with advanced sensors and meters tracking everything possible. Micro oceans like a seed vault for corals.
The entire field of homeostasis management requires an increase in R&D staff and funding by an order of magnitude, and we need it right away.
The sooner we start testing and experimentation the better, we much to learn, and fast.
In researching this article I’ve found others that feel similarly about the seriousness of this situation.
More recently a Mars-type biosphere experiment has begun in Hawaii
What can we do?
Only the most fun thing ever… Experiementation.
Duplication.
What is required now, is rapid prototyping. Large volumes of data to analyze.
If we could create vast data sets of information collected from many people or test pods we could amplify our understanding of the relationships of living organisms.
Mass production:
This could be accomplished with the creation of a facility to house millions of sealed jar biospheres. Each enclosed with varying plants and micro-biota combinations.
Variation:
Before sealing them up we can add Co2, extract oxygen, insert lithium or silica. We can alter the parameters for temperature, light pressure and gravity. Allowing us to simulate environments of many planets and moons in our Solar System, Varieties of Oceans and much much more.
Exhibit F:
BioSphere 1 is failing. That’s our planet. The ‘Bio-dome’ we both currently live in.
Earth. Its’ ecosystem seems to be destabilizing more rapidly every day.
Conclusion:
After 15 years of Ecosystem R&D, I learned some new info about how ecosystems self regulate, to explain it, I wrote a book about the mechanics of environmental influence and how homeostatic equilibrium self regulates but can also be systematically altered to induce re-stabilization, I also have some innovative ideas on how we can test and experiment at larger scales and apply it on variety of different uses.
Hundreds of jars:
If you, or anyone you know is interested in funding or furthering research into what my friend calls “a warehouse full of jars of plants and goop” but personally I see as “brightly illuminated bundles of hope and opportunity”…
Feel free to reach out.
and be sure to read my other recent futurism tech articles…
Funding innovators is what really changes the world and improves quality of life long-term big-picture.
Here are some other exciting innovations to look into.
TIME TRAVEL IS NOW POSSIBLE!
TIME TRAVEL (and access to the 4th Dimension) IS NOW POSSIBLE!
medium.com
For more interesting articles check out.
New info:
How to reverse desertification:
recently spotted in the news:
As of very recently, China is now making some progress in this area on the moon!
but that also failed.
and now amateurs are experimenting even more with biotopes.
and semi sealed closed loops systems for rapid cultivation.
In the news again.
It’s time for this “hobby” to go mainstream.
I have some ideas on how we could do that. Check out my fundraiser for the project and thanks for reading. :-)
and for fun, check this out:
and this great news source:
