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A 50-year-old Spanish woman has just emerged from a 70-metre-deep cave where she has spent the last 500 days as part of an experiment.

The ‘extreme athlete’ was monitored throughout the stay by a team of scientists who were trying to learn more about how our circadian rhythms, and how the human mind would deal with such isolation.

Beatriz Flamini, who was 48 years old when she entered the cave, is an experienced mountaineer and climber and seems to be used to ‘extreme’ situations, although this must have been an incredibly strange experience for the now 50-year-old.

When Flamini entered the cave on Saturday, November 20, 2021, the Queen was still alive, Ukraine was still a nice place to visit, and South Africans thought Cyril was on top of things. A lot has changed.

Flamini emerged from her cave somewhat weakened and obviously hyper-sensitive to light as her team members embraced the adventurer.

“I lose my balance, that’s why I’m being held. If you allow me to take a shower – I haven’t touched water for a year and a half – I’ll see you in a little while. Is that OK with you?”

She spent her time underground exercising, painting, drawing, and knitting woolly hats.

“Caves are quite secure places, but very hostile to the human being and the brain because you don’t see the light of day, you don’t know how time is passing, you don’t have neurological stimulation. It’s not that the time passes more quickly or more slowly, simply that it doesn’t pass, because it’s always four in the morning.”

Although they never made contact, Flamini was monitored by a group of psychologists, researchers, and physical trainers to ensure she remained healthy and sane.

Her feat should put her into the Guinness Book of Records for the longest time spent in a cave, the previous record being held by Chilean miners who spent 69 days 688m underground, but Guinness has said that it may have to fall under a different category as she chose the underground isolation.

Have a look at her cave below.

Nee dankie, I prefer a little sunshine now and then.

[source:iol]