KEY LARGO, Fla. — Somebody called Guinness World Records.
University of South Florida associate professor Joseph Dituri is set to complete a 100-day mission that would break the world record for living underwater this Saturday, May 13. That day will mark 73 days of the mission.
Dituri continues to teach his students online while also studying how the human body reacts to long-term exposure to pressure from an underwater habitat at Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, the university said in a news release. Also known as Dr. Deep Sea, he's been living there since March 1.
So what do the associate professor's living quarters look like? Dituri's 100-square-foot underwater home is in an isolated and extremely confined environment. Get this — he hasn't seen the sun or enjoyed a home-cooked meal since February.
He hopes his research will allow him to help people with traumatic brain injuries. Dituri's original aspiration was to earn his doctoral degree from USF and begin hyperbaric research, USF said.
"I'm humbled that my curiosity for discovery has led me here," Dituri said. "My goal is to inspire — not only for generations to come — but for scientists around the globe who study life undersea and how the human body functions when in extreme environments."
Through his underwater lodging, Dituri hypothesizes "if hyperbaric pressure can be used to increase cerebral blood flow, then it can be used to treat traumatic brain injuries and a broad spectrum of diseases and a broad spectrum of diseases."
Additionally, Dituri believes his research could be helpful for space travel due to similar environments.
"This research could help us better prepare our astronauts to ensure they arrive healthy and strong enough to explore the planet," he said.
All in all, for Dituri he says, it's not about the record.
"If we can get people excited about science, that would be a great success to me," he said.
The previous record was set by Tennessee teachers Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain in 2014.