Stefania Follini
Stefania Follini | |
---|---|
Born | August 16, 1961 |
Nationality | Italian |
Occupation | Interior designer |
Known for | Spending 130 days in isolation in a cave for an experiment on circadian rhythms |
Stefania Follini (born 16 August 1961) is an Italian interior designer. She is known for being involved in a 1989 experiment on circadian rhythms, in which she voluntarily isolated herself for four months in an underground room thirty feet down a cave in Carlsbad, New Mexico, away from all outside indications of night and day.[1] The experiment lasted from January 13, 1989, until May 22, 1989. In total, Follini spent some 130 days in the cave, thus breaking the women's world record for longest cave isolation.
Career
Hailing from Ancona, Italy, Follini worked as an interior decorator. Out of 20 candidates, Follini was chosen for the experiment because she possessed an "introspective nature" and "mental discipline".[2] At that time, she was 27 years old.[2]
Experiment
The scientific experiment commenced on January 13, 1989.
With her slowed-down daily cycle, her meals were more spread out and she lost 17 pounds (7.7 kg) in weight.[7] Follini mostly fed on beans and rice, which partially resulted in her losing vitamin D.[4] She reported that at one point her menstrual cycle had stopped. She regularly did judo to maintain her strength and flexibility.[1] When she finally emerged from the cave at the experiment's end on May 22, 1989,[9] and was asked to guess the date, she estimated that it was March 14[9] or 15[4] — only two months from the start of the experiment instead of the four that had actually transpired.[1] She was described as "looking pale and thin" after coming out from the cave.[2] Having spent about 130 days in the cave, she broke the world record for women for the most number of days spent in isolation in a cave.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "After 130 Days of Cave Life, A Return to Glare of the Sun". The New York Times. May 24, 1989.
- ^ a b c d Weingartem, Paul (May 24, 1989). "No Light, Voices For 131 Days, But The Mice Were Friendly". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b Toufexis, Anastasia (June 24, 2001). "The Times of Your Life". Time. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Allen, Caroline (June 7, 1989). "AFTER 130 DAYS IN A CAVE, ITALIAN WOMAN SAYS SHE'D RETURN". Associated Press.
- ^ a b c d Arnold, Nick (2009). Horrible Science: The Terrible Truth About Time. Scholastic. p. 28.
- The Los Angeles Times. May 16, 1989.
- ^ Philly.com. May 24, 1989.
- ^ "Isolation Researcher Loses Track of Time in Cave". The New York Times. May 17, 1989.
- ^ a b Allis, Tim; Haederle, Michael (June 12, 1989). "Ace in the Hole Stefania Follini Never Caved in". People.
- Daily News. May 23, 1989. p. 7.