John L. Allen (3)

Biosphere 2 is a structure built to be an artificial closed ecological system in Oracle, Arizona by John Polk Allen, Space Biosphere Ventures and others. Constructed between 1987 and 1989, it was used to test if and how people could live and work in a closed biosphere, while carrying out scientific experiments. It explored the possible use of closed biospheres in space colonization, and also allowed the study and manipulation of a biosphere without harming Earth's. The name comes from the idea that it is modeled on the first biosphere, which is Earth. The funding for the $200,000,000 project came from Edward Bass. As of June 2006, the structure is no longer maintained in an airtight state, and the property, which is in exurban Tucson, is slated to be redeveloped for a planned community.[1]… (mehr)