Find out why this researcher spent 100 days underwater

On May 13, 2023, Joseph Dituri, a  55 year-old researcher in Florida, broke the record for the longest time spent living underwater. At the time, Dituri had been underwater for 74 days. But he went on to beat his own record reaching 100 days on June 9, when he resurfaced.

Dituri’s mission was to study the effects of hyperbaric pressure: when air pressure is greater than it would be at sea level, and what effects it has in the human body, per Science Alert.

Dituri lived in a 55 square meter (592 square feet) space 30 feet below the surface of the Florida Keys since March 1 and resurfaced on June 9, 2023, CNN reported.

Photo: DrDeepSea.com

Before Dituri, Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain (pictured) held the record of the most days underwater, having spent 73 days in 2014.

According to ElPaís newspaper, Dituri underwent psychological tests to monitor the effects of isolation on his mental health, and periodic blood tests, to monitor his body's reaction to extreme pressure.

A retired US Navy diver that served for 28 years, Dr. Dituri is also an expert at biomedical engineering.

He is also the director of the International Board of Undersea Medicine, which collaborates with the Marine Lab/ Marine Resources Development Foundation.

Additionally, he is the president of the Undersea Oxygen Clinic and studies the development of innovative treatments for brain trauma, depression, and long-term mental and physical disabilities.

Photo: Instagram @drdeepsea

Dituri's goal is precisely to better understand the impact of life under pressure and to use this knowledge in his clinical work, in order to help patients suffering from traumatic brain injury and other associated diseases, he has told several media outlets.

In parallel, the expedition intended to address broader issues, such as opening a space for discussion on how we can improve our understanding of the marine environment, in addition to ensuring its preservation, he told CNN.

In this sense, the project is also educational, Dituri said, offering new generations the opportunity to discover the underwater world, the technologies involved, as well as new research on the subject.

Dituri was visited by children from local schools, to inspire more and more young people to take an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, NPR reported.

Rather than sit still, Dituri taught  online classes for the University of South Florida, where he is an associate professor. In addition, he participated in meetings to publicize the project with marine scientists, which were streamed.

Photo: Instagram @drdeepsea

In an interview with NPR, Dituri revealed the details of the experiment: “You have to constantly pump air into the capsule to neutralize the effects of the water pressure. This continuous buzzing makes an unpleasant noise, but it is necessary, because I really like to breathe.”

Photo: Unsplash/ michal mrozek

Inside the capsule, there are sleeping bunks, a small kitchen and living room, as well as a coffee machine and a place to store frozen food, NPR reported.

Mr. Dituri explained to NPR that they have a pump, so the drain is pressurized and “sends the material to the surface, joining the normal sewer line.”

Along with family and friends, it's the lack of sunlight on the seabed what made the experience even more difficult, Dituri told NPR.