Extreme Environments and Why We Search for Them; Report Explains Why Humans Seek to Challenge Themselves

For a long period of time, humans have been seeking extreme environments like climbing the tallest mountains or surviving in conditions far from the norm. The big question is, why do humans do this, and what can someone learn from their experiences?

Extreme Environments

According to Phys.org, George Mallory, a British mountaineer, attempted to summit Mount Everest in 1924. When explaining why he decided to do so, all he had to say was that it was there.

The report outlines how despite having personal reasons for humans venturing into extreme environments, they often come with contributions to science. This is because researchers can take their expeditions into environmental challenges as a way for them to understand the human response better.

As for what type of "extreme environments" these individuals search for, Phys.org describes these as harsh and unusual environmental conditions that force humans to do their best to survive. Aside from climbing mountains, these extreme environments can also refer to living in special habitats.

Living Underwater

Joseph Dituri, a University of South Florida biomedical engineer, achieved a unique accomplishment in June 2023, breaking a record for living underwater for the longest.

Dituri lived in a carefully curated habitat located at 9.15 meters underwater for a total of 100 days. This amount of depth meant he experienced double the pressure one would've had on land.

CNN reports that the 55-year-old biomedical engineer achieved this feat in the Jules' Undersea Lodge at the bottom of Emerald Lagoon. This was part of Project Neptune, which aimed to discover how the body reacts to compression.

Phys.org reports that Dituri explained how the experience changed him and hoped to inspire others to push "all boundaries."

Live in a Cave

Another extreme environmental challenge was with a project called Deep Time, which involved 40 days and nights inside an underground cave, per the BBC. This project was carried out in France and involved 15 volunteers who, within that timeline, didn't have access to most things people would deem "necessities."

The 15 volunteers couldn't get any sunlight, clocks, or telephones, meaning they didn't have any way to track time. The test wanted to understand how people reacted when they didn't have any sense of time and space.

Scientists said the project will help further understand how people adapt to extreme living conditions. The volunteers had their brain activities and cognitive functions analyzed before and after they entered the cave.

Why People Push to the Extreme

Phys.org describes why people push the boundaries of human exploration not just to learn about themselves but also to provide unique contributions to human understanding. This comes as the participants try to understand their place in the world.

Collecting knowledge about the human ability to thrive in extreme conditions could prove important for humans on Earth and even in the future, should humanity start to push boundaries and "reach for the stars."

Check out more news and information on Environment & Climate in Science Times.