Scientist discovers 'brand new species' after living 100 days underwater in record-breaking feat

Dr. Joseph Dituri, a scientist and former naval officer, recently completed a record-breaking 100-day underwater expedition to explore marine life and its undiscovered secrets. Throughout this journey, a team of medical, psychological, and social experts closely monitored him to assess the effects of prolonged submersion on his body. Dr. Dituri's primary objective was to develop a medicine that could enhance the human body's ability to deliver oxygen under high pressure by promoting the growth of new blood vessels, as per the LAD Bible. However, in his quest, the scientist ended up discovering a "brand new species" that's now being studied by microbiologists.

The new organism is single-celled. The scientist told The Independent, "We believe [it] is a brand new species to science." He added, "People have dived in this area thousands and thousands of times - it’s been here, we just didn’t look." As per the microbiologist, it is one of the many discoveries the scientist was hoping to make during his time underwater. He was 30 days into his experiment when he discovered the organism.

Since then, Dr. Dituri worked on various experiments in his 100 square feet underwater lab set up in a capsule. He's spending his time diving and swimming around to discover new things in the ocean. During his time underwater, the scientist also managed to share a few lessons for school kids from inside the water when he wasn't working. After spending so much time underwater, Dituri shared that he feels wonderful and might lose an inch of his height during his stay due to the pressure exerted on his body, just like astronauts gain 3 inches due to the weightlessness of space. Water exerts 1.6 times more pressure on the body than life on land.

Several tests have been conducted by the scientist to understand the impact that living underwater could have on a person's longevity. “We know for sure that when you’re exposed to about half the pressure that I am right now, you double the number of circulating stem cells,” he said. “I will have longer telomeres – potentially reversing aging – and I will also gain bone density and muscle when I’m down here," he continued.

The scientist has also managed to break the previous record of 73 days underwater by staying there for a record 100 days. “Everyone keeps focussing on the world record but I don’t care about the world record. I just want to live underwater – I’d do it for 200 days if I could afford it," he said. “This is where we find the next great cure… It’s the coolest science in the world right now.” When he emerged from the water in June last year, the scientist also claimed that living under the water had reverse-aged him by about 10 years.