Man who lived underwater for 100 days explains the bizarre impact it had on his body
A man who lived underwater for 100 days has explained the bizarre impact it had on his body.
Last year Dr Joseph Dituri challenged himself to spend 100 days in a habitat located 30 feet under a Florida lagoon, and monitor how his body would react to long-term extreme pressure.
For what can only be described as an unpleasant 100 days, the scientist and former naval officer stayed in a small 9m by 9m room that he had to scuba dive to get to.
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Dr Dituri's goal with the mission was to research a type of medicine that can help deliver oxygen to the human body under high pressures by helping it to grow new blood vessels.
When he was not recording his body's reaction to the extreme pressure of living underwater, he was teaching school students through his laptop.
He was also closely monitored be medical, psychological, and psychosocial experts.
A press release from last year added: "Part of the work will see a psychologist and a psychiatrist monitor the effects he experiences while in an environment similar to extended space travel.
"It's an isolating confined extreme environment. And and as humans, we really need to figure out how we're going to be living in that (environment) if we're going to expand our planet, if we're going to go interplanetary, if we're going to find all the cures that we need to find."
The Florida professor has since come back up for air after his 100 day stint, breaking a record in doing so.
"It was never about the record," Dr Dituri said as he returned to land.
"It was about extending human tolerance for the underwater world and for an isolated, confined, extreme environment."
He was listed as a Guinness World Record holder after completing 74 days underwater.
The firm said on its website: "The longest time spent living in an underwater fixed habitat is 74 days, and was achieved by Joseph Dituri (USA), who entered Jules' Undersea Lodge, a steel-and-glass facility anchored at a depth of 9.14m (30 ft) just off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, USA, on 1 March 2023, as verified on 13 May 2023."
Dr Dituri documented his experience on social media so that everyone could follow his progress.
One question that was on everyone's mind was the affect staying underwater has had on the professor's body.
At the time, it was reported that he had shrunk in height by half an inch, reached 60-66 percent rapid-eye movement sleep in comparison to 40 percent before, his cholesterol drop by 72 points and his inflammation decreased by 30 percent.
Since completing his challenge, Dr Dituri has said it's all been positive so far, saying he feels better, sleeps better and overall he feels healthier than he did before.
Callum Jones