01/09/2025
In 1960, David Latimer planted a small spiderwort seedling in a sealed glass bottle. He added compost and water, then closed it off from the outside world.
Opened only once in 1972 to add more water, the miniature garden has since thrived entirely on its own. It's a self-sustaining ecosystem where plants get energy from sunlight, release oxygen and moisture, and recycle nutrients.
This simple yet remarkable demonstration of a closed-loop system offers insights into ecological resilience and could even inform future space habitats.