2023-05-16 05:49:51
Professor spends 74 days underwater – and breaks a world record
From his lodgings at the bottom of a lagoon, Joseph Dituri must be enjoying a slightly… different view
What: AP/Frazier Nivens
Joseph Dituri is the name of the new record holder, who calls himself “Doctor Deep Sea”. The professor wants to spend a total of 100 days at the bottom of a lagoon in Florida. The pressure at this depth is 1.6 times higher than on land.
AWhen he broke the world record, Joseph Dituri was having eggs and salmon for breakfast. The medical technology professor from the University of South Florida had already spent 74 days under water without pressure equalization on Sunday, May 14th – the longest stay to date. The 55-year-old prepared his high-protein meal in a microwave at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, a scuba-equipped cabin at the bottom of a lagoon in Key Largo, Florida.
The diving station was named after the writer Jules Verne, who wrote the classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”. But it wasn’t the novel that motivated Dituri to travel 22 meters below the surface of the water. “My love of discovery brought me here,” the 55-year-old told the British broadcaster BBC. But how exactly does his everyday life under water look like?
At Dituri, the neighbors will have to swim by to say hello
What: AP/Frazier Nivens
Allow: Joseph Dituri, the “Aquanaut”
Dituri’s underwater day begins at 5am. Then the 55-year-old gets up and trains, for example with fitness bands or push-ups. Then it’s time for breakfast. During the day, the medical technician goes about his duties as a professor: Dituri holds online lessons from his lagoon hut. In between, the 55-year-old can also take a one-hour nap.
The media meanwhile refers to Dituri as “Aquanaut”, a combination of the Latin word for water and the word astronaut. The term was coined in 2014 when biology professors Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain set the previous underwater record. The two scientists stayed in the water for 73 days, two hours and 34 minutes – in the same “lodge” as Dituri.
The underwater “hut” in Florida is 22 meters deep
For the 55-year-old – who, by the way, also “Dr. Deep Sea“, i.e. “Doctor Deep Sea”, is called – but it is about much more than the record. “The record is a small achievement that I really appreciate,” the biomedical engineer told the news outlet AP. “I’m honored, but we still have science to do.”
As part of the “Project Neptune 100” mission, the professor, who is also a former US Navy officer, plans to spend a total of 100 days under water. Among other things, he is interested in researching the effects of extreme pressure on the human body. According to the professor, the pressure at a depth of 22 meters, where it is located, is 1.6 times higher than on land.
Joseph Dituri misses one thing underwater
Another aim of the project is to conduct educational work. From his small cabin, the new record holder holds online courses and conducts interviews on marine biology. In this way, Dituri is said to have reached more than 2,500 students in the first 74 days, according to the AP. The project was organized by the Marine Resources Development Foundation.
All in all, the medical technician says he enjoys life under water. However, he is missing one thing: “The sun is an important part of my life,” says Dituri. “I usually go to the gym at five o’clock and then come out to watch the sunrise.”
The former record holders probably felt the same way before they came ashore. “Hey, there’s the sun,” Cantrell said at the time as he climbed out of the salt water. Dituri can look forward to such a sun salutation soon.
But while we’re underwater, we can also delve into some standard sea creatures!
Or in scary version:
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