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Why were the geodesic domes called the lungs of Biosphere 2?
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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 geodesic domes at Biosphere 2 are referred to as the "lungs" because they function as massive variable-expansion chambers designed to regulate the air pressure within the facility's airtight glass enclosure.1
Because the main structure is sealed, internal air pressure fluctuates significantly as external temperatures rise and fall. To prevent these pressure changes from exceeding the structural strength of the glass, each lung—consisting of a heavy metal plate attached to a rubber membrane—expands or contracts to accommodate the trapped air. This mechanism allows the facility to "breathe" by dissipating excess pressure, thereby maintaining the integrity of the biosphere environment.1