Biologist lives in submerged bioSUB breathing air from algae-watered urine

William Atkins
Thursday, 19 April 2007 21:40

Science - Space

Godson experienced this adventure after winning the “Live Your Dream” Wildest Adventure Competition sponsored by the Australian Geographic.

The bioSUB Project is located at Website http://www.biosub.com.au/.

Godson rode a bicycle to generate some electricity, while other electricity was provided by solar cells outside of the bioSUB. He received meals from a team of divers.

He breathed air from algae that gave off oxygen through a gas-exhange Biocoil. He watered the algae with recycled urine. The Biocoil was a coiled, water-filled plastic tube containing millions of single-celled algae called Chlorella. The algae gave off oxygen from the carbon dioxide Godson breathed out—what is called photosynthesis. This was the first time that a human breathed solely from oxygen given off by plants.

The Biocoil was built by students and their teacher from Cascade High School in Idaho (U.S.A.). They were visiting the BioSUB site while building the apparatus.

The bioSUB capsule was two meters (six feet) in height by three meter (nine feet) in length, and was sunk to a depth of five meters (15 feet) into a former gravel quarry on the Wonga Wetlands near the town of Albury in Australia. The capsule contained a bed, desk, computer, exercise bicycle, and toilet.

Godson provided descriptive updates on his underwater progress throughout his thirteen-day project to students in classrooms around the world. The live updates were provided by the South Australian Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS).

Additional information about Godson’s adventure is located at the Wonga Wetlands Website at: http://www.wongawetlands.nsw.gov.au/news/2007442352.htm.