A University of South Florida professor is planning to spend 100 days living in an underwater station to investigate the effects of high pressure on the human body. Joseph Dituri, who previously worked as a saturation diver for the US Navy, believes that the high pressure will trigger health improvements in his body. The current record for an underwater stay is 73 days, but Dituri hopes to surpass this and analyze the effects of prolonged exposure to high pressure on the human body.
Dituri will be living in Jules’ Undersea Lodge, an underwater station located off the coast of Key Largo at a depth of 10 meters. While he will be alone for most of the time, he will be able to have video calls and visitors for 24-hour periods. The project, called Neptune 100, will also examine the psychological effects of isolation. Applicants to visit Dituri must come from the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural science, or technology and undergo a selection process.
Dituri’s primary motivation for becoming a scientist was to research traumatic brain injuries, which are common among Navy divers. He believes that the known mechanisms of hyperbaric medicine could be used to treat a wide range of illnesses. The study will provide valuable insights into the effects of high pressure on the human body and could have implications for medical treatments in the future.
