Throwback Thursday; Biosphere 2

Back 2012 I stopped in at Biosphere 2 along Arizona State Route 77 in the Santa Catalina Range north of Tucson.

Biosphere 2 was constructed from 1987 to 1991 and was meant to demonstrate that closed ecosystems to could be workable in practical application. The glass dome structures of Biosphere 2 were meant to replicate real world biomes such as; desert, forest, and ocean environments. Biosphere 2 was heavily publicized back in the 1990s when two closed experiments were conducted. Both experiments ultimately were considered failures due to the environmental controls not working as originally planned. Biosphere 2 changed hands several times before ultimately being purchased by the University of Arizona in 2011. I'm not sure if tours were allowed of the structure before U of A purchased Biosphere 2 but essentially when I visited it was pretty close to unlimited access of the entire grounds.

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Petroleum Club Road (former California State Route 33 and US Route 399 past the Lakeview Gusher)

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