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IMAGINE spending 100 days beneath the ocean’s surface, in a habitat scarcely larger than a walk-in closet.
This was the extraordinary reality for Dr Joseph Dituri, a biomedical engineer and former US naval commander, who embarked on a mission to explore the profound effects of living in isolated, confined, and extreme environments.
Reuters
X/Joseph Dituri
Jules Undersea Lodge
ReutersNicknamed Dr Deepsea, Dr Dituri’s time underwater included 88 days with a broken tooth and a scare where he almost ran out of air in his capsule.
His underwater residence was part of a groundbreaking study aimed at unearthing what happens to the human body under conditions akin to those astronauts might endure on a trip to Mars.
From March 1 to June 9, 2023, the American researcher lived in a compact space measuring just 17 feet long and 4-5 feet wide, and was submerged 23 feet below the surface in Key Largo, Florida.
Dr Dituri said: “The capsule is at Marine Resources Developmental Foundation – M. R. D. F. – and you can swim out there and go dive into it.
“But you got to pay to live there. It’s about $1000 a night.
“This was therefore not a cheap endeavour, but it’s used for scientific stuff so it’s great.”
Dr Dituri’s days were a rigorous blend of scientific inquiry and personal endurance.
He woke up early each day, dedicating six to eight hours to meticulous scientific research, which involved taking blood, urine, and saliva samples, and conducting various physiological measurements.
The findings from these tests are expected to shed light on how extreme environments impact human health and performance, offering valuable insights for future space exploration.
Beyond the scientific goals, Dr Dituri harboured a profound ambition to ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among young students.
Through his remarkable journey, he aimed to demonstrate that science is not just a collection of facts but a thrilling and impactful adventure.
Dr Dituri’s mission also underscored the urgency of marine conservation.
By collaborating with marine scientists, he spotlighted the pressing need to protect and rejuvenate our ocean environments.
His work emphasised that the mysteries of the deep are intertwined with the health of our planet.
Dr Dituri told The Sun: “Everybody’s like, ‘Well, you were just chilling down there with nothing to do, just sleeping’.
“But I was way more busy down there than I am up here. And I’m the assistant vice president of the University of South Florida.”
LIVING ON THE EDGE
Life underwater was a test of resilience and resourcefulness.
With food delivered every three days, the dad of three relied on a microwave for his meal prep.
Fresh produce was a luxury, and he treated himself to a weekly indulgence of frozen key lime pie.
“That’s just one little good thing that I had,” he said.
Bringing loads of stuff from “the outside world” was also not that feasible, so Dr Dituri joked: “I had basically 100 bad hair days because it was 100 per cent humidity.
“I just gave up on doing anything with my hair. I just combed it back and put it in a bun.”
Instagram/Joseph Dituri
AP
Instagram/Joseph DituriHis journey wasn’t without its challenges—on the 12th day, a rogue popcorn kernel cracked his tooth, resulting in 88 days of pain and a subsequent emergency root canal.
He recalled: “There was a tiny bag of popcorn. So I put the popcorn in the microwave and I had popcorn.
“Well, when I did, I bit down and I broke, I cracked my tooth in the back on the 12th day of the mission. So of course I’m in a tremendous amount of pain and I’m going ‘I can’t even believe I just did this’.
“Like, oh my God. Note to self: no popcorn in space because this is never going to work.”
The ocean, a realm of unpredictability, threw another curveball with a severe lightning storm that caused a power outage.
This triggered emergency lighting and raised concerns about the air supply, which Dr Dituri managed using emergency scuba tanks.
Recalling the dramatic hours, he said: “We had a power outage because there was a lightning storm.
“When the emergency lighting kicked on I was like, ‘wait a minute. Why did the emergency lighting kick on? So that can either be a flood or fire or something like that.
“Mind you, it was the middle of the night.
“But I could see the lightning striking land from underwater through my cubby hole, I could watch out the window. I could see the lightning striking land. That’s how epic this storm was. But yeah, it was a bit daunting.
“Power came back on. I don’t know, like five hours, eight hours later.”
During the power outage, Dr Dituri had the terrifying risk of running out of air – risking a submarine disaster.
Luckily, the underwater researcher had just enough oxygen to survive.
He explained: “The plan was to have scuba tanks when you’re down there. We had scuba tanks lining the wall and that’s my emergency air.
“Once I crack those open slowly but surely, I can get a couple of hours of life support out of them but when you’re out [of air], you’re out.
“So we wanted to make sure that the power was coming back on within 12 hours because that was about how long I had of emergency air supply.”
But overall, Dr Deepsea did not regret his crazy journey a single bit.
Jules Undersea Lodge
APHe said: “I knew what I was in for. I was a military guy for 28 years, I was a military special operations diver.
“So I’d been in this game. This is what we did. You know, we’ve been isolated, we’ve been separated from family.
“So it’s not a big, big deal. And honestly, with the advent of the internet, it was actually not half bad.”
THE HUMAN TOLL AND TRIUMPH
Living under such pressure took a physical toll.
Dr Dituri lost three-quarters of an inch in height, a fact he humorously noted by suddenly being able to walk under a screw on the ceiling without ducking.
Yet, the experiment brought unexpected health benefits, including reduced inflammation markers and an overall sense of well-being.
He said: “I felt great. That’s because I was doing what I love. I believe second thing is every single inflammatory marker in my body was decreased by half.”
Dr Dituri’s expertise did not go unnoticed.
After his mission, he was sought out by major news networks like CNN and Fox News to provide expert commentary on the Titan submersible incident.
His sobering assessment, based on his extensive experience, highlighted the grim realities of deep-sea exploration and the intense pressures involved.
He said: “They were not very happy with my answers because I was like, ‘listen, here’s pressure. Here’s what happens.’
“And they were like, ‘wait, wait, wait. But isn’t there a chance?’
“And I said, ‘There’s no chance. You can not like that answer all you want, but there’s no chance.
“This is not stuck on the bottom and they have to decompress. It’s pure physics.”
Instagram/Joseph Dituri
Joseph Dituri/Cover Images/INSTARimages.comBEYOND THE HORIZON
While Dr Dituri did not work directly with Elon Musk or Starlink, his connection to the space community is strong.
He has lectured at Starbase and applied to the National Astronaut Program.
His innovative spirit is exemplified by his patent designed to protect aquanauts and astronauts from decompression issues, a potential game-changer for future space suits.
Dr Joseph Dituri’s underwater odyssey is more than a tale of scientific pursuit; it’s a testament to human curiosity, resilience, and the relentless quest for knowledge.
His journey serves as a beacon, illuminating the path for future explorers, whether they venture into the depths of the ocean or the far reaches of space.
He said: “I felt relieved when I got to the surface, but you know, it was a little sad to see it go if you know what I mean. It was a bittersweet moment.
“But I did not think that we’d reach the number of people that we reached. I did not think we would have the impact that we had. We were so impressed with all the coverage and everybody picked up on it.
“We also did some great research behind it. So that’s really the fun part, right? We got to induce a bunch of kids to think about science, technology, engineering, and math, and, and to think that science could be cool.”
Could humans live under water FOREVER?
by Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter
LIVING underwater permanently presents significant challenges, but with advanced technology and careful consideration of various factors, it could be feasible in the future.
In 2026, a crew of six aquanauts will begin a new era of continuous human presence underwater through the DEEP System, developed by a UK-based company.
The DEEP System aims to establish permanent human habitation on the ocean floor, allowing researchers to stay underwater for extended periods.
Steve Etherton, president of DEEP Research Labs Limited, emphasised the importance of understanding the oceans to preserve them, highlighting their critical role in climate, weather, and marine life.
The central feature of the DEEP System is the Sentinel underwater habitat, equipped with direct ocean access, individual suites, configurable workspaces, and communal areas.
Rick Goddard, director of DEEP Sentinels, described the Sentinel System as highly flexible, capable of supporting various marine science, exploration, and environmental research missions.
He told Oceanographic Magazine: “We’re doing something new here at a scale never previously imagined outside of science fiction.
“I fully expect the equipment and technology we’re developing to be pivotal in enabling some game-changing discoveries and radically change the way we access and think about the Ocean.”
The DEEP System will include advanced submersibles and research equipment, supported by training programs at the DEEP Institute and the DEEP Campus, a specialized underwater R&D facility.
Initially, the Sentinel habitat will enable scientists to live at depths of up to 200 meters for 28 days, primarily exploring the epipelagic zone where 90% of marine life resides.
Kirk Krack, human diver performance lead, stressed the urgency of improving our understanding of marine ecosystems to address significant global challenges.
DEEP is now in the advanced stages of technical design and production, offering a modular, scalable, and re-deployable underwater living solution.
Steve Etherton projected that by 2035, DEEP will have ten multi-span developments globally, and by 2050, the first human could be born subsea.
DEEP’s base in the UK’s South West and Wales leverages regional expertise in marine engineering and diving.
The DEEP Institute will provide comprehensive training programs, while the DEEP Campus will serve as a premier facility for training, testing, and research.
English (US)