Starting a Cosmic Commune: Inside Spaceship Earth and Biosphere 2

Starting a Cosmic Commune: Inside Spaceship Earth and Biosphere 2

From Human Nature Odyssey by Alex Leff

November 20, 2025 · 31 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the legacy of the Biosphere 2 experiment and its implications for human survival in self-contained environments.

This is the first 30 minutes of a longer conversation. The full conversation is available on the Human Nature Odyssey Patreon. === In 1991, a group of artists, inventors, and visionaries set out to live inside a sealed desert enclosure for two years—a bold experiment to see if humans could survive in a self-contained environment. The project made headlines, sparked controversy, and became a cultural sensation. Spaceship Earth is the riveting documentary that tells the nuanced story of the people behind this audacious experiment. In this bonus conversation, Jake Marquez and Maren Morgan from the Death and the Garden podcast join me to explore the legacy of Biosphere 2. Together, we discuss what makes a tribe function, and why the experiment's worth revisiting today. If you'd like to support Human Nature Odyssey , please subscribe wherever you listen, leave a review, and join us on Patreon for exclusive audio extras, writings, and notes. For full episode transcripts, essays, and additional context, visit: resilience.org/human-nature-odyssey-podcast

People in this episode

Host: Alex Leff

Guests: Jake Marquez, Maren Morgan

Topics covered

  • Biosphere 2
  • self-contained environment
  • human survival
  • cultural experiment
  • tribe dynamics

Keywords

  • Biosphere 2
  • Spaceship Earth
  • human survival
  • cultural experiment
  • tribe dynamics
  • self-contained environment

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Spaceship Earth

Places: Biosphere 2

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