French volunteers leave cave after 40 days in isolation

paul

Moderator
From https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56875801


A group of French volunteers have emerged from a cave after a 40-day study exploring the limits of human adaptability to isolation.

The 15 participants lived in the Lombrives cave in south-west France with no phones, clocks or sunlight.

They slept in tents, made their own electricity, and had no contact with the outside world.
The project aimed to test how people respond to losing their sense of time and space.
 

Fjell

Well-known member
My wife?s BSc thesis was on time perception in caves. It?s been done. Would have saved them a lot of bother. It was one of the primary scientific justifications given for the student union to partially fund a holiday expedition to France.

I believe the conclusion was that people frequently miss the pub because they lose track of time. The main recommendation being to arrive at cave entrances before 10am, which is about 3-4 hours before most students manage it.
 

ChrisJC

Well-known member
Once upon a time, as a student at Bangor, we camped overnight down Rhosydd Quarry.

The following morning, we arose, and went into Blaenau for Breakfast.

We ate at 2pm.

Chris.
 

David Rose

Active member
I'm not impressed.

My great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandparents

spent 40 years in a cave, not 40 days, because that's what people did in those days. And then died because 40 was thought very old.

By the way, this French lot, they didn't even do any pushing, digging or surveying. Just sat on their arses, so far as I can see.

I just saw a Facebook post from the redoubtable Gilly Elor. She said she'd just come out from a 26-day camping in Cueva Cheve, the very deep cave in Mexico. Now that IS impressive.   
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
I cannot understand why they keep doing this. I see the cavers wanted to continue in the cave with 'projects'. Being paid to dig in a cave would be wonderful!  Like everybody though, Why?  David Lafferty did the same in Gough's in 1966 and then there was Michel Siffre. I am pretty sure the standard day for time deprived is about 27 hours but I may be wrong.
 
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