The teacher of the University of South Florida and former member of the US Navy. Joseph Knowledge55, broke the world record for staying underwater by spending 74 consecutive days in an underwater refuge in the Florida Keys (Southern US)where it will continue until completing the 100 days.
The previous world record for life underwater was 73 days, 2 hours and 34 minutes and was set in 2014 by 2 professors from Tennessee, Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain, who were also at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo (in the southern tip of Florida).
It may interest you: Marcelo Bielsa, the ‘Crazy’ who will lead Uruguay
“Curiosity to discover has led me here. My goal since day 1 has been to inspire generations to come, interview scientists who study life underwater and learn how the human body works in extreme environments,” Dituri wrote on Twitter to report his record.
In his current experiment, which began in March, the associate professor at the University of South Florida (USF) is studying how the human body responds to long-term exposure to extreme pressure.
Dituri, also known as “Dr. Deep Sea” (“Dr. Deep Sea”), lives 30 feet (9.15 meters) deep in a habitat of 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)from where he continues to teach his biomedical engineering class online.
“With this new record, Dituri has officially entered uncharted territory for science and his research may have a far-reaching impact, even in space.”the USF highlighted this Monday in a statement.
The academic recalled, in this context, that “it takes 200 days to travel to Mars and that our astronauts will have to travel to a similar environment” to the one he finds himself now: “A confined area that limits food options, how they can exercise or loss of muscle mass, bone mass and vision problems.”
Therefore, this research will serve to “help us better prepare our astronauts to ensure they arrive healthy and strong enough to explore the planet,” Dituri said.
The reason for the investigation and a world record
Ongoing research may not only be beneficial for space travel, but could help people with traumatic brain injuries through the use of hyperbaric pressure chambers.
The USF professor’s hypothesis is that “if hyperbaric pressure can be used to increase cerebral blood flow, then it can be used to treat traumatic brain injuries and a broad spectrum of diseases.”
Before, during and after the project, Dituri undergoes a series of psychosocial, psychological and medical tests, including blood tests, ultrasounds and electrocardiograms, as well as stem cell tests, it added.
In trend: Margarita Rosa, Julián Román and other artists claim Petro
“This study will examine all the ways that this trip affects my body, but my hypothesis is that there will be improvements in my health due to the increased pressure.”added Dituri, who was a Navy diver for 28 years, at the start of the experiment.
Its objective is also to delve into the conclusions of a scientific study that showed that cells exposed to greater pressure doubled in five days, which could be applied to slow down human aging.
Why is it a hundred days?
The 100-day mission includes testing new artificial intelligence-based technology tools to detect disease in the human body and determine if drugs are needed, and studying ways to preserve, protect and rehabilitate the marine environment.
“Everything we need to survive is here on the planet”says Dituri.