| View Larger Image | The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2 | Hardcoverby Jane Poynter (Author)
| List Price: | $26.95 | | Price: | $19.67 | | You Save: | $7.28 (27%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Hardcover | | Publisher: | Basic Books | | Page Count: | 384 Pages | | Publication Date: | August 17, 2006 | | Sales Rank: | 190,654th |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
It’s a story that has never been told… until now. Imagine being sealed into a three-acre greenhouse for two years… cut off from the outside world with only seven other people for company… enduring never-ending hunger, severely low levels of oxygen, and extremely difficult relationships. That’s what happened inside Biosphere 2, where crewmembers struggled to survive while keeping their promise that nothing would go in or out – no food, no water, not even air – all in the name of science. For the first time, biospherian Jane Poynter – who lived and loved in the Biosphere – is ready to share what really happened inside the controversial project. She takes readers on a riveting, fast-paced trip through shattered lives, scientific discovery, cults, love, fears of insanity, and inspiring human endurance. The eight biospherians who closed themselves into the Biosphere in 1991 emerged 730 days later… much wiser, thinner, and having done what many had said was impossible. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 14 reviews)
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A dull human experiment by J. Lee (Houston, TX USA)  2 Stars
May 24, 2009
I expected this book to be more about the experience of living and working holed up in a "fishbowl" with seven other folks for two years, than about the politics and development of the Biosphere project. But, perhaps that is because nothing really interesting happens much in the biosphere.
Poynter isn't a great writer. That'd be okay if she had a more interesting tale. But, I didn't really get a true sense of any of her fellow biospherans, other than they squabbled over food, the purpose of the experiment - and well just about everything, and with few exceptions really didn't like one another.
Life in the Biosphere comes across as just dull and tedious. Mostly it's focused on the basics of survival. Making sure there's enough food growing and fighting bugs that can harm it, raising animals and monitoring their oxygen levels. Meanwhile, the management and the rest of the world are squabbling over what, if any, scientific value the whole experiment has. (And, quite frankly, I was left wondering how much value it had, as well).
BOTTOM LINE: A human experiment of living a dull and monotonous life in a fishbowl for two years - makes for a fairly dull and monotonous book. But, if you are or were fascinated by the Biosphere experiment, you may enjoy this one more than I did.
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Interesting read. by Klaus Hassel (NY)  3 Stars
May 07, 2009
I was happy to plow through this somewhat "lowbudget" (bad black and white photos only) book. The story is well told, albeit not as detailed and perhaps in-depth as I had hoped. Ms. Poynter is not a very strong writer and seldom does she make introspective observations that indicate what she learned by being inside the biosphere. However, the book describes the two years as a matter of factly and I finished the book with a sense having been inside the biosphere with her.
It's a fine read but not an amazing one.
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Two Years Of Torture by Karl J. Hanson 2 Stars
February 07, 2009
The unique thing about Biosphere 2 was that it was a scientific experiment launched by the anti-establishment. Ultimately, the anti-establishment people who were running this experiment were miffed that the establishment wasn't taking their work seriously. Jane Poynter describes the demeaning experience of lacking credibility with the scientific fraternity, despite their great efforts.
These people were mavericks in the world of science. Serious scientific research is typically conducted by the government or universities on projects of a much smaller scale. To circumvent the usual process was audacious and somewhat naive. This group had guts, imagination and, most importantly, a very wealthy donor.
A group of vintage 1960's alternative lifestyle types, not drugged-out hippies, their goal was to make some big discoveries. Perhaps a science discovery inspired by science fiction. They chose an objective to study: Discover important information about enclosed environments,(..yeah, sounds good!)...something that can possibly be used for habitats on Mars..(yeah!)..or the Moon.. (...yeah, yeah, let's do it!). They decided to set a record for staying the longest inside a sealed building.
Similar to the crew on Star Trek, they went on a two year mission, separated from the rest of us on earth. They lived a tortuous existence inside an enclosed space with too little oxygen, too little food and too much CO2. This enviroment caused them all sorts of physical and psychological problems. They were constantly bickering, factioning into groups.
As interesting as this appears, I just didn't share the same passion for "breaking the record" inside a building. Reading the other great reviews, this book obviously appeals to a lot of people, but it just didn't work for me. I can't blame Poynter's writing, because Poynter, an English woman, writes well. She is frankly honest about what it was like to participate in this grand experiment. I simply didn't share their enthusiasm about the mission.
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A can't put down science adventure by Michael A. Israel (United States)  5 Stars
December 22, 2008
A few weeks ago I had teh chance to visit Biosphere 2 and found the tour to be well worth the detour from Tucson. I saw this book in the gift shop but ordered it here on Amazon for much less.
Jane Poynter paints a riveting tale of how the Biosphere came to be, the science behind building it, and most important, the eperience of being a biospherian. The story combines science and human interactions in a true tale that captivates the imagination. Indeed, it reads much like any really good story whereby once you start reading it, you simply can not put it down.
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The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2 by S. Larson (Minneapolis) 5 Stars
May 04, 2008
Perfect condition. Written extremely well. After actually visiting Biosphere 2, this was a must read!
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