Dr. Joseph Dituri Completes Record-Breaking 100-Day Stint Underwater
After a world record 100 days living underwater, pioneering researcher Dr. Joseph Dituri resurfaced on 9 June 2023 at 10:30 am in Key Largo in the Florida Keys. He is the first to ever achieve this length of stay underwater. Dituri began his mission on 1 March and set the record for longest time spent living in an underwater habitat on 13 May, day 73 of the mission. He has been living underwater at Jules' Undersea Lodge to inspire future science scholars and to conduct science with others while also working on projects related to his study of traumatic brain injury, PTSD and other brain traumas. “To explore anything new always results in personal and professional discoveries,” the scientist said. “This experience has changed me in important ways, and my greatest hope is that I have inspired a new generation of explorers and researchers to push past all boundaries.” Over 14 weeks, Dituri conducted 124 online interactions, engaging with more than 5,500 students from 12 countries bringing the message of STEM discovery to students of all ages. Dituri's research focused on how the human body and mind reacts to, or copes with, being in an isolated, confined extreme (ICE) environment for an extended period of time. A team of 12 medical doctors conducted routine testing of Dituri’s brain waves, heart rate, blood pressure, ear pressure, urine, oxygen saturation and muscle measuring. He shrunk half an inch during the mission, and preliminary science findings include that while living undersea Dituri slept in 60-66% in REM sleep consistently, compared to 40% prior. Also, while living undersea, Dituri’s cholesterol dropped 72 points and remained low. He plans to share his mission findings and research at the World Extreme Medical Conference in Scotland this November.
