Biosphere Project

Biosphere 2 is located in the Sonora Desert at the foot of the Santa Catalina Mountains not far from Tucson, Arizona. It is one of the most spectacular structures ever built. It is the world's largest greenhouse, made of tubular steel and glass, covering an area of three football fields (137,416 sq ft [12,766 sq m]), and rising above the desert floor to a height of 85 ft (25.9 m). Within the structure, there is a human habitat and a farm for the Biospherians to work to provide their own food. There are five other wild areas representing the savanna (extensive grasslands), a rainforest, a marsh, a desert, and the ocean. These five areas plus the Human Habitat and the farm are called "biomes," which might be interpreted to mean biological homes or dwellings for life forms.

Biosphere 2 is completely sealed so no moisture or air can flow in or out. Beyond the Biosphere, two large white domes also dominate the landscape and capture the imagination. These are balloon-like structures that operate like a pair of lungs for Biosphere 2 in maintaining air pressure inside the biosphere. Only sunlight and electricity are provided from outside.