A university professor who lived underwater for 100 days at a scuba diving resort in the Florida Keys awoke on Friday and faced daylight for the first time since March 1.
During his stay at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, which is buried beneath 30 feet (9.14 meters) of water in a Key Largo lagoon, Dr. Joseph Dituri established a new record for the longest period of time spent underwater without depressurization.
The scuba diver broke the previous record, which had been achieved at the same lodge in 2014 by two Tennessee professors in 73 days, two hours, and 34 minutes.
Dituri, a professor at the University of South Florida who also goes by the name “Dr. Deep Sea,” is a former U.S. Navy officer with a degree in biomedical engineering.
The initiative was created to assist ocean researchers and astronauts on upcoming longer missions by shedding more light on how the human body and mind react to prolonged exposure to severe pressure and a solitary environment.
Dituri performed regular experiments and measurements to track how his body changed in response to the increasing pressure while he was submerged for three months and nine days.
Dituri said that his experiment made him a half-inch shorter, according to CBS Miami. He added that he had cut his cholesterol, lessened body inflammation, and enhanced his sleep cycle.
Additionally, he hosted more than 60 visitors to the habitat, taught a USF course, and collaborated online with thousands of students from 12 different nations.
