Biosphere 2, Tucson

In 1984, Space Biospheres Ventures purchased a unique Sonoran Desert property north of Tucson in the shadow of the Santa Catalina Mountains. There, the company expanded its sci-fi-sounding activities—the development of space-colonization technology—and built the $200 million dollar mini-world Biosphere 2, recently seen on The Today Show.

Designed to re-create Earth's ecosystems, the gigantic glass enclosure (some 7.2 million cubic feet and 91 feet tall in some parts) is famous for housing biospherians in the 1990s. The researchers lived completely sealed inside for extended periods, giving scientists groundbreaking data on sealed systems, human survivability and the future of life on our planet.

The University of Arizona took over management and had the 40-acre Biosphere 2 campus donated in 2011, maintaining it as a hub of serious research while expanding its mission to encompass interactive educational outreach. Now, visitors can experience three new adventure tours: the classic "Under the Glass," amazing "30 Year History," or the engaging "Family" tour. The immersive experience includes a feature movie, multi-media exhibits, and a uniquely built indoor trail system. Visitors see and smell a rainforest, million gallon ocean, coastal fog desert, and technology grid all under 6,500 panes of glass.