KEY LARGO (Realist English). U.S. biomedical researcher and former naval diver Joseph Dituri has completed a 100-day underwater stay in Jules’ Undersea Lodge, a habitat anchored 30 feet below a Florida lagoon, as part of a mission to study the effects of prolonged sub-aquatic living.
Launched in March 2023 under Project Neptune 100, the experiment tested how the human body and mind adapt to increased atmospheric pressure — 70% higher than on the surface — and extended isolation. Scientists say the findings could inform future long-duration missions to Mars.
Dituri maintained a strict daily routine, conducting biomedical tests on himself, teaching his university class via Zoom, and undergoing weekly psychological evaluations. He reported that living under pressure compressed his spine, temporarily reducing his height by three-quarters of an inch.
Despite the physical strain, Dituri’s health improved. Medical data showed increased stem cell and collagen production, doubled REM sleep, a 23-pound weight loss and a 100-point drop in cholesterol levels.
During the mission, Dituri also developed close contact with marine life, including a lobster he nicknamed Fred and a nurse shark that eventually began resting at the lodge’s entrance.
He resurfaced in June 2023, calling the return to sunlight and repairing a cracked tooth sustained early in the mission the most satisfying parts of resuming life on land. “Living underwater taught me resilience and offered a glimpse of what humans might endure on missions far beyond Earth,” Dituri said.
