120 days: German man sets world record for living under water
GuardianFEB 2
German Engineer Sets 120-Day Underwater Living Record
Above: Rudiger Koch jumps into the water to celebrate breaking the Guinness world record for living in the ocean off the coast of Puerto Lindo, Panama, on Jan. 24, 2025. Image copyright: Martin Bernetti/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The underwater habitat experiment demonstrates the viability of human expansion into marine environments, presenting a revolutionary approach to sustainable living and human settlement options in oceanic spaces.
Narrative B
The project raises concerns about creating autonomous ocean communities outside government control. Questions remain about the long-term physiological effects of extended underwater living compared to previous studies.