Biosphere 2: Reflections After 25 Years
This retrospective examines Biosphere 2—the world’s first large-scale closed ecological system—through the lens of twenty-five years of scientific progress, environmental awareness, and historical perspective. Revisiting one of the most ambitious and debated experiments of the twentieth century, the book explores its lasting contributions to ecological science, systems thinking, and our understanding of the complex relationships that sustain life on Earth.
Published by the University of Arizona Press, the current steward of the Biosphere 2 facility, this work provides a thoughtful and authoritative reassessment of the project’s achievements, challenges, and legacy. It highlights how many of the questions explored by the Biosphere 2 team—climate change, ecosystem resilience, biodiversity, and human interaction with planetary systems—have become increasingly relevant in the decades since the experiment began.
An essential resource for readers interested in ecological research, environmental history, and visionary scientific endeavors, this volume offers valuable insight into one of the most remarkable experiments ever undertaken. Together with Life Under Glass and Me and the Biospheres, it forms part of a comprehensive collection documenting the history, science, and human experience of Biosphere 2.