Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Joseph Dituri

Experience: I lived underwater for 100 days

Joseph DituriDr. Joseph Dituri poses for a portrait near the water at Cypress Point Park on Monday, June 22, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Zack Wittman for the Guardian)
‘Thanks to the increase in my metabolism, I lost 23lb and 100 points on my cholesterol’: Joseph Dituri in Tampa, Florida. Photograph: Zack Wittman/The Guardian

My stay in Jules’ Undersea Lodge started in March 2023. The habitat, secured to the bed of a 30ft-deep lagoon in Key Largo, Florida, wasn’t the most comfortable hotel I’ve spent time in, but then I wasn’t there for a holiday. I’m a biomedical researcher and I was there as part of a scientific mission called Project Neptune 100.

The main aim was to research the mental and physical impact on the human body of living in increased atmospheric pressure – 70% higher than at the surface. It was also to study what happens when you leave someone alone in a confined environment for 100 days. The data might have all manner of applications – for future missions to Mars, for example.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.