But Joseph Dituri is not content to break the 74-day record and make it back to the surface: he plans to stay at the lodge until June 9, when he will reach 100 days and complete an underwater mission dubbed Project Neptune. 100.
A college professor broke the record for the longest life underwater without depressurization in a diver’s accommodation in the Florida Keys over the weekend.
Joseph Dituri’s 74th day of residence at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, located at the bottom of a 30-foot-deep lagoon in Key Largo, was not much different from his previous days since it was submerged on May 1. March.
Dituri, also known as “Dr. Deep Sea” (“Deep Sea Doctor”), ate a protein-rich meal of microwaved eggs and salmon, trained with rubber bands, did his daily push-ups, and took an hour-long nap. Unlike a submarine, the lodge does not use technology to adapt to increased underwater pressure.
The previous record, of 73 days, two hours and 34 minutes, was set by two Tennessee professors – Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain – at the same location in 2014.
But Dituri isn’t content with breaking the record and returning to the surface: He plans to stay at the lodge until June 9, when he will reach 100 days and complete an underwater mission dubbed Project Neptune 100.
The mission combines medical and ocean research with educational outreach and was organized by the Marine Resource Development Foundation, owner of the habitat.
“The record is a small boost and I really appreciate it,” said Dituri, an educator at the University of South Florida, a doctor of biomedical engineering, and a retired U.S. Army officer. “It’s an honor to have it, but we still have more science to do.”
His research includes daily physiology experiments to monitor how the human body responds to prolonged exposure to extreme pressure.
“The idea here is to populate the oceans of the world, take care of them by living there, and treat them really well,” Dituri said.
The outreach portion of Dituri’s mission includes conducting online classes and broadcasting interviews from his digital studio under the sea. In the past 74 days, he has reached over 2,500 students through online marine science and more with its regular biomedical engineering courses at the University of South Florida.
Although he says he loves living under the ocean, there is one thing he really misses.
“What I miss the most about being on the surface is literally the sun,” Dituri said. “The sun has been an important factor in my life. I usually go to the gym at five o’clock and then go back outside and watch the sunrise.”
Source: Latercera
I am David Jack and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. As an experienced journalist, I specialize in covering sports news with a focus on golf. My articles have been published by some of the most respected publications in the world including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
