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Extreme 'world first' experiment has trapped 15 people in a cave for 40 days without phones or watches to explore the effects of long-term isolation with no notion of time
Daily Mail UK ^ | 16 March 2021 | Ian Randall

Posted on 03/17/2021 1:11:48 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Sequestered in the Lombrives cave in Ariège, the team have four tons of supplies to live on — along with water from the cave and a pedal-driven dynamo for electricity.

Mission leader Christian Clot, who is one of the participants, was inspired to stage the test after seeing how the COVID-19 pandemic brought isolation in to our lives.

However, the explorer has received some criticism in the French press because he assumes the title of 'researcher' while having no formal scientific training.

The 'Deep Time' experiment began at 20:00 local time on Sunday, March 14 — and, if all goes to plan, will be concluding on April 22.

The findings of the project could be relevant to future space missions, submarine crews, mining teams and other settings were people are enclosed for long periods.

Deep Time follows in the footsteps of the French geologist Michel Siffre, who spent several extended periods underground, including one six-month stint in 1972.

He found that the human body's circadian cycle can vary in duration when untethered from the stimuli of natural light.

In the Lombrives — the largest cave in Europe by volume — the team will be forced to adapt to the constant 54°F (12°C) temperature and 95 per cent humidity.

In the cave, 'three separate living spaces have been fitted out — one for sleeping, one for living and one for carrying out studies on the topography of the place, especially the flora and fauna,' Mr Clot told Le Parisian.

The experiment has been funded by a total of €1.2 million (£1 million) from both public and private funding sources.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: cave
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To: BenLurkin

Will they need to wear masks?


21 posted on 03/17/2021 1:28:21 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: polymuser
No Timothy on the team.

There was but oddly no more mention of him.......

22 posted on 03/17/2021 1:28:44 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: BenLurkin

Like Robinson Crusoe, it’s primitive as can be.


23 posted on 03/17/2021 1:28:53 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Steve_Seattle

Circadian rhythm.

According to child sleep expert Dr. Ferber, our natural cycle is closer to 25 hours, not 24.

So we get offset after a while.


24 posted on 03/17/2021 1:29:46 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs. I )
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To: BenLurkin

40 days in the hole
Great song by humble pie


25 posted on 03/17/2021 1:30:30 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy ("I see you did something -- why you so racist?")
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To: cyclotic

“And canibalism.”

“How is Timothy?”

“A bit chewy.”


26 posted on 03/17/2021 1:30:56 PM PDT by polymuser (A socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.)
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To: BenLurkin

Did they become conservatives?


27 posted on 03/17/2021 1:31:37 PM PDT by nesnah (Liberals - the petulant children of politics)
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To: cyclotic

I would resort to cannibalism on Day 2. I know I wouldn’t need to. But I’d do it anyway.


28 posted on 03/17/2021 1:31:58 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy ("I see you did something -- why you so racist?")
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To: BenLurkin

“Seem to recall this kind of thing has been done before.”
************************************************************

Kind of like being submerged on a nuke submarine for 4+ months at a time (Yes, there were clocks on board). Living a (sometimes interrupted) 18 hour cycle or 12 hour cycle with no outside light.


29 posted on 03/17/2021 1:32:14 PM PDT by HippyLoggerBiker (Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake. )
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To: polymuser

Waiting for one really fat one to come waddling out at the end. “I don’t know, they just kept wandering off one by one. (Urp.)”


30 posted on 03/17/2021 1:32:18 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: hinckley buzzard

Rats in a sack


31 posted on 03/17/2021 1:34:27 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: BenLurkin
Extreme 'world first' experiment has trapped 15 people in a cave for 40 days without phones or watches to explore the effects of long-term isolation with no notion of time

The effects will include hallucinations, extreme paranoia and other forms of insanity. Why does this require an experiment when humanity has conducted so much practical research on the topic over the centuries?
32 posted on 03/17/2021 1:34:45 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: Meatspace

Timothy
The Buoys 1971 (OHW)

https://youtu.be/AXn0uIF60iU


33 posted on 03/17/2021 1:34:46 PM PDT by polymuser (A socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.)
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To: polymuser

What did one cannibal say to the other cannibal

“You know, I never really liked your brother in law”

The other cannibal replied “That’s OK, just eat the vegetables.”

I’ll be here all week, try the veal.


34 posted on 03/17/2021 1:34:51 PM PDT by cyclotic (Live your life in such a way that they hate you as much as they hated Rush Limbaugh)
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To: ClearCase_guy

“I would resort to cannibalism on Day 2.”

Yeah...a couple of the gals look edible. Just sayin...


35 posted on 03/17/2021 1:37:38 PM PDT by polymuser (A socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.)
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To: BenLurkin

How about clean source of air?...removal of waste products? Having electricity could allow them to approximate already learned circadian rhythm? Disease causing fungus, bacteria, noxious cave gases, bugs? How do they handle real illness?
Knowing that one can probably leave the place will put subjects at less than “stressed” situation?


36 posted on 03/17/2021 1:37:41 PM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and diamonds, and harder to find.)
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To: BenLurkin

What fools will DO is astounding.


37 posted on 03/17/2021 1:43:20 PM PDT by Democrat = party of treason
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To: Getready

“Knowing that one can probably leave the place will put subjects at less than “stressed” situation?”

Ya think?

Now, if they’d poured a 36” reinforced concrete plug into the entrance, I wager the attitudes would be dicier.


38 posted on 03/17/2021 1:44:39 PM PDT by polymuser (A socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.)
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To: Getready

Yeah, the Chilean miners went what, 69 days? And they didn’t know they’d get out, not for certain, until they were out.


39 posted on 03/17/2021 1:45:18 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: BenLurkin

Yep. Nothing new here. But they will feel good about themselves, and thats what really matters...


40 posted on 03/17/2021 1:46:29 PM PDT by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic...)
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