The idea of human beings living in underwater cities might sound funny and far-fetched. And, why not? So far it has been reserved only for science fiction films, books, or video games.
But, is there a possibility for humans to actually live underwater? As it turns out, it is a viable option for us in the near future. It might be our only option as we are rapidly running out of space on land.
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Living In Underwater Cities: Dream Or Reality?
Global warming is a real threat right now. Because of this, the sea levels are constantly rising which has forced Indonesia to move its capital from Jakarta. The cherry on the cake is the increasing population and shrinking land space. Since there are more people, we need to make space for them to live and grow more food for them. All this will reach a breaking point sometime in the future.
As our planet is 71% water, living underwater might be a viable option for the future. But it poses a lot of issues as well like cold temperatures, immense pressure, lack of oxygen, and several other effects on our body.
French architect Jacques Rougerie has designed several underwater habitats over his career. In a boatyard in Bordeaux lies the first component of his latest idea. It is a SeaOrbiter, a floating research colony that goes 31m beneath the surface. A Canadian inventor named Phil Nuytten planned an underwater city, which would harvest resources from thermal vents.
French oceanographer, researcher, filmmaker, and undersea explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau ignited people’s interest in the underwater. In the 1960s, he created the Conshelf series of underwater habitats. The steel cylinder was home to two divers who were submerged off the coast of Marseilles at a depth of 10m. The two studied marine life and built an underwater farm.
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Living Underwater
The major issue would be oxygen supply but that can be fixed via some venting method. When it comes to food, we will have easy access to sea foods and sea plants. Not to mention the preserved foods and the food we can bring through tunnels.
Living underwater might preserve humanity in the case of catastrophic events. Another advantage would be that we will get a better understanding of ocean life since most of it is still unexplored by humans.
Japanese Architectural firm Shimizu Corporation is developing ‘Ocean Spiral‘, which is a $26 billion project. It will allow humans to live underwater. While most of it is still a concept, the city would sit below sea level off the coast of Tokyo. It will power itself through the power of waves, tide, and ocean currents via massive turbines. The settlement will support five thousand people and include labs, schools, and beautiful residential areas.
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