Discover one of the worlds greatest technological wonders, mini-earth under glass.  The earth is known as Biosphere 1, & this 3.1 acre, glass enclosed mini-ecosystem, Biosphere 2. You won't believe it until you see it yourself.  It actually has an ocean, desert, forest & rain forest all under glass.  

This 250 acre, $150 million lab site, was originally developed to study life in outer space & is the worlds largest controlled environmental facility for terrestrial & marine plant growth & climate change science.

Initial construction began in 1984 & continued until Sept.1991, when the first two year live-in study began.  The lab was totally self-sustaining, providing eight scientist all their food, water & oxygen from within.  

Today it is managed by Columbia University, who holds ecology courses on campus, & it has a restaurant, hotel & conference center.