PROJECT NEPTUNE 100: U.S. MAN SETS NEW RECORD FOR LIVING UNDERWATER 

Did you know that a United States Professor dubbed ‘Dr Deep Sea’ has broken the record of the longest time living underwater without depressurisation?

Joseph Dituri, a university professor from Florida, United States, who holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering and is a retired US Naval officer, broke the previous record of 73 days, two hours and 34 minutes set by two Tennessee professors – Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain – at the same location in 2014, for underwater experiment.

But despite breaking the record of the longest time living underwater, Professor Dituri plans to stay at the underwater lodge until June 9, 2023, when he reaches 100 days and completes an underwater mission dubbed Project Neptune 100.

Professor Dituri submerged on March 1, 2023, and has been living in Jules’ Undersea Lodge, situated at the bottom of a nine-metre-deep (30 feet) lagoon in Key Largo. His eats protein-heavy meal of eggs and salmon prepared using a microwave, exercised with resistance bands; did his daily push-ups and took an hour-long nap. Unlike a submarine, the lodge does not use technology to adjust for the increased underwater pressure.

The underwater mission combines medical and ocean research along with educational outreach and was organised by the Marine Resources Development Foundation, owner of the habitat. Professor Dituri's research includes daily experiments in physiology to monitor how the human body responds to long-term exposure to extreme pressure.

The outreach portion of Professor Dituri’s mission includes conducting online classes and broadcast interviews from his digital studio beneath the sea.

For the past 74 days he has reached over 2,500 students through online classes in marine science and more with his regular biomedical engineering courses at the University of South Florida.

But living underwater also has its downsides as the Professor says, “The thing that I miss the most about being on the surface is literally the sun. The sun has been a major factor in my life – I usually go to the gym at five and then I come back out and watch the sunrise.”

On breaking the previous record of the longest time living underwater, he says: “The record is a small bump and I really appreciate it. I’m honoured to have it, but we still have more science to do.”

IMAGE: Dr Joseph Dituri waves to a scuba diver from inside the Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Florida. Photo: Frazier Nivens/Florida Keys News Bureau via Reuters

Source:

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3220547/dr-deep-sea-us-man-sets-record-living-underwater