I Have Spent 1.5 Years in the Underground Cave and in Complete Isolation

Beatriz Flamini, a 50-year-old Spanish athlete, has recently completed a 500-day isolation period in an underground cave. She entered the cave in southern Spain in November 2021 at the age of 48 and marked both her birthdays while being 70 meters (230 feet) underground.

It was part of a human experiment.

Flamini’s 500-day challenge was part of a project called Timecave, which aimed to evaluate how a person could cope with living underground for an extended period. Throughout the experiment, the woman was closely monitored by psychologists, researchers, and speleologists who specialize in the study of caves, but they did not have any direct contact with her. As part of the experiment, experts analyzed the effects of social isolation and temporary extreme disorientation on the human body.

Flamini said she lost track of time approximately 2 months into the experiment. Nonetheless, she believed she had been underground for only 160 to 170 days. The mountaineer expressed her fondness for the experience and said, “In fact, I didn’t want to come out.”

She had no idea what was going on in the world.

Although she experienced a strong desire for roasted chicken and potatoes, the isolation of the cave did not bother her much. Before entering the cave, she informed her team that she did not want to be updated about any external events, even if it meant losing a loved one. “I am respected and understood by the people who know and love me,” she said. “It’s not a problem.”

So basically, the athlete didn’t get any information about the major events within her family or the world. “I’m still stuck on November 21, 2021. I don’t know anything about the world,” she said after exiting the cave.

She was tempted to hit the panic button only once.

Flamini stated that she didn’t think of using the provided panic button except for one moment when a fly invasion resulted in her being covered in bugs. She said, “It wasn’t that complicated, but it wasn’t healthy...but that’s just what it was.”

The athlete also had “auditory hallucinations” while inside the cave. “You are silent, and the brain makes it up,” she explained. But despite these challenges, Flamini described the experience as “excellent” and “unbeatable.”

During this time, she enjoyed many activities.

According to Flamini, she spent her time calmly and with purpose while living in the cave. She engaged in activities, such as reading, writing, drawing, and knitting, and generally enjoyed herself. The athlete explained that she was content being in the cave, so she dedicated herself to making the most of her time there.

The woman’s key to surviving was staying focused on the present moment, sharing, “You have to be focused. If I get distracted, I’ll twist my ankle. I’ll get hurt. It’ll be over, and they’ll have to get me out. And I don’t want that.”

She has probably broken the world record.

Flamini’s support team claims that she broke a world record for the “longest time spent voluntarily living in a cave.” However, Guinness World Records has not yet confirmed this information.

The organization has awarded the record for “longest time survived trapped underground” to the 33 Chilean and Bolivian miners who spent 69 days 688 meters underground following the collapse of a copper-gold mine in Chile in 2010.

It’s amazing to see what a human is capable of even in the older age. Even after 90, some people don’t stop taking challenges, for example, a 97-year-old woman who received the Guinness World Records title of The Oldest Gymnast in 2012. Such stories make us feel there is no age limit for adventures.