Live Underwater with an Algal Oxygen Bar
Project BioSUB with BioCoilFor thirteen days, an Australian marine biologist Lloyd Godson lived in the world’s first self-sufficient, self-sustaining underwater habitat using a microalgae-based life support system.
Topic
An Adventure of Sustainable Green Living Underwater on Microalgae
Marine biologist Lloyd Godson conceived of BioSUB-1 as a way to demonstrate fully bio-regenerative power and life support.
For thirteen days, from April 5-18, Golden Year 4 (2007), this Australian marine biologist lived in the world’s first self-sufficient, self-sustaining underwater habitat using a microalgae-based life support system.
He breathed air from algae that gave off oxygen through a gas-exchange Biocoil, watered with recycled urine. The Biocoil was a coiled, water-filled plastic tube containing millions of single-celled microalgae called Chlorella. The microalgae gave off oxygen from the carbon dioxide Lloyd breathed out in a process called photosynthesis. This was the first time that a human breathed solely from oxygen given off by plants.
Biocoil Algal Oxygen Bar
The Biocoil, a name given to a photobioreactor designed specifically for this BioSUB project, was donated by a local high school and experimented in its science classroom.
Bicycled for Electricity
Artificial light was used as a catalyst for this photosynthesis process, powered from renewable energy. He also grew some of his food using the same light source.
Lloyd rode a bicycle to generate some electricity to circulate the algae, recharge his laptop and for exercise, while other electricity was provided by solar cells outside of the unit. For 13 days he was living a sustainable life, in an alien environment.
Due to the elevation of human consciousness and gradual technological advancements, we believe that we will be able to explore more freely the magnificence of other worlds, be-it underground, underwater or outer-space; to discover the hidden beauty of God’s creation.
