Female mountaineer lived alone 500 days in underground cave: "I wanted to stay longer"

'Response in Extreme Isolation' Study Participation
"I Think About 170 Days Have Passed"

A female mountaineer who lived alone in an underground cave in Spain for 500 days to study the effects of isolation on the human body has emerged into the outside world.

Mountaineer Beatrice Flamini (50), who lived alone for 500 days from November 20, 2021, in an underground cave in Granada, Spain [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 14th (local time), according to the British daily The Guardian and local Spanish media, Beatrice Flamini (50), a mountaineer from Spain, came out of a cave near Motril, Granada, southern Spain. She descended into a cave 70 meters underground on November 20, 2021. When entering the cave, Flamini brought only a helmet light, a few books, paper and pencils, and knitting materials.

A research team composed of scientists from the University of Almeria, Granada, and Murcia in Spain continuously monitored her to understand how extreme isolation affects the human body and mind, but there was no conversation or contact for 500 days. Food was regularly delivered to a designated spot inside the cave. A 'panic button' was also provided for emergencies, but Flamini did not press it and completed the agreed period.

On the 14th (local time), Beatrice Flamini is coming out of the underground cave after 500 days.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

At a press conference held after emerging from the cave, Flamini said, "I got along very well with myself," adding, "There were difficult moments, but there were also very beautiful moments." She read 60 books in the cave and spent her time purposefully by writing, drawing, and knitting. She said, "The secret was living in the moment," and "I tried to focus on one activity without letting my mind wander."

Flamini said that from the 65th day, she lost her sense of the passage of time and thought about 160 to 170 days had passed when she came out of the cave. She said, "When people came down and said it was time to leave the cave, I thought something must have happened outside." Upon hearing that 500 days had passed, she thought, "Already? No way. I haven't finished my books yet." She even confessed, "Honestly, I didn't want to leave (the cave)."

"The biggest crisis was when flies entered the cave"

The biggest crisis Flamini faced was when flies entered the cave. She recalled, "Flies came in and laid larvae, and when I just left them alone, the flies covered my entire body." She was unable to shower during her time in the cave. Flamini said, "I still haven't showered. But since I am an extreme sports athlete, I think I can endure another 500 days."

Local media reported that Flamini's record appears to be the longest time a human has spent alone in a cave, but it is unclear whether such a category exists in the Guinness World Records. Her challenge is planned to be made into a documentary in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.