Carson, Mary Kay. Inside Biosphere 2.

Carson, Mary Kay.  Inside Biosphere 2.    Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt Brace  2015  79p      $18.99  ISBN 978-0-544-41664-2      ms/hs   Nonfiction  E-BN

In this newest addition to the superb series Scientists in the Field, Mary Kay Carson takes her readers on a tour of Biosphere 2 and examines the scientific works currently ongoing.  Biosphere 2 was first created in 1991, to be a self-contained human habitat for eight scientists to inhabit for two years.  Modeled on the Earth’s actual biosphere, it provided a “bottled-up mini Earth” in which complex ecological experiments could take place.  Today, Biosphere 2 continues to function as a laboratory in which earth science investigations are being conducted into rain forests, savannah lands, the ocean, recycling soils, and conservation.  Written in an engaging manner and beautifully presented with stunning photographs, the book offers a look at the work being done to find methods to combat climate change and other ecological disasters.  Individual scientists in each of Biosphere’s habitats carefully describe their work.  The book contains a series of extras: sidebar fact boxes, “a description of the buildings’ architecture and construction”, a glossary, a “find out more” page, a bibliography, chapter notes, and an index.   

Summary: In this newest addition to the superb series Scientists in the Field, Mary Kay Carson takes her readers on a tour of Biosphere 2 and examines the scientific works currently ongoing.    

Biosphere 2                                                 --Susan Ogintz