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Biosphere 2 Center is Columbia University's 250-acre western campus devoted to deepening the understanding of earth systems vital to the policies and decisions that will affect Earth's future. Equipped with a 3.1 acre, glass-enclosed research laboratory, and offering academic programs in earth systems for high school, undergraduate and graduate students as well as educational programs for 180,000 annual visitors and local school children, Biosphere 2 continues its mission to foster informed leadership and intelligent stewardship of the planet.<br /><br />Biosphere 2, the fascinating atmosphere glass-enclosed mesocosm in the Arizona desert, explores the bounds and frontiers of the new field of ecological engineering. This project set out to construct ecosystems or biomes, not monocultures, in a heavily subsidized environment, save for the sun, 50% of which did penetrate the glass, and the soil that was trucked in. Pumps were needed for the hydrologic cycle, blowers for atmospheric movement, and even a 'lung' to relieve the pressure that builds up in the glass enclosed system. More than 10 MW of electrical power generating capacity stands nearby. Ecosystems did flourish in the various biomes, never turning out exactly as they had been planned, but always giving information that provides insight on their true analogs in nature.<br /><br />--- http://www.yenra.com/biosphere-arizona/<br /><br />If we are to construct habitable biospheres on “The Earth, The Moon, Then Mars…”, we already have a pretty good start figuring it out with the above project.<br /><br />In my opinion, this science is paramount to the success of colonizing other planetary bodies. It sounds as if they do not have a handle on soil production, or sunlight. <br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br />--- http://jatslo.com/ : Jatslo<a /><br />