Joseph Dituri, a university professor, achieved a new record for the longest duration of living underwater without depressurization.

Not just 74 but 100 days

He accomplished this feat at a lodge in the Florida Keys, which is popular among scuba divers. However, Dituri isn’t content with just setting the record and resurfacing. He has set his sights on staying at the lodge until June 9, aiming to complete an underwater mission known as Project Neptune 100, which will span 100 days.

Project Neptune 100, organized by the Marine Resources Development Foundation, combines various elements such as medical and ocean research, as well as educational outreach.

Dituri a Retired Naval Officer

As a retired U.S. Naval officer and a holder of a doctorate in biomedical engineering, Dituri, who is affiliated with the University of South Florida, is actively involved in conducting research experiments during his prolonged stay. These experiments focus on studying the physiological responses of the human body to long-term exposure to extreme pressure.

He has authored numerous manuals focused on diver training, collaborated on the book “Tao of Survival Underwater,” contributed to the Navy Diving Manual, and had his work featured in various journals, including those published by the American Society of Naval Engineers and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grateful Dituri

Dituri expressed his gratitude for achieving the record but emphasized that there is more scientific work to be done. He believes in the importance of preserving the world’s oceans and aims to promote this cause by living in and caring for them.

As part of his mission, Dituri conducts online classes and broadcast interviews from his digital studio beneath the sea. Through these activities, he has already reached over 2,500 students in marine science courses and has extended his educational outreach to include his regular biomedical engineering classes at the University of South Florida over the past 74 days.

When submerged underwater for a long-time, serious consequences can take place such as oxygen deprivation, drowning, hypothermia, decompression sickness, and eventually, death.

But for Joseph Dituri, these things don’t happen.

Read More News