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What were the three main sections of the Biosphere 2 facility?
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Biosphere 2
Biosphere 2, located in Oracle, Arizona, U.S., shown in 2008. The facility was originally developed to study survivability and assess whether humans were capable of building and living in self-sustaining colonies in outer space. It was later used as a scientific research facility.
The Biosphere 2 facility is composed of three primary sections designed to support its scientific research and biosphere environment:
- Aboveground airtight glass-enclosed area: This main structure contains various ecosystems, including a coastal fog desert, tropical rainforest, savanna grassland, mangrove wetland, and ocean with a coral reef.
- Belowground technology area (the Technosphere): This section houses the essential technology required to maintain the environment, including air-handler units that regulate temperature, humidity, and air circulation.
- Human habitat: An area specifically designated for the living quarters of the research crews.1