Beatriz Flamini

Last updated

Beatriz Flamini is a Spanish extreme athlete and mountaineer known for her acts of self-isolation and self-sufficiency. She is best known for her "Timecave" expedition, whereby she spent 500 days living in a cave in Granada, from November 2021 to April 2023.

Contents

Biography

Early career

Flamini studied to be a sports instructor, and was employed as an aerobics teacher in Madrid. In the 1990s, she joined cave exploring expeditions as a photographer. She later moved to a mountain refuge in the Sierra de Gredos to be a rescue worker. [1] In 2019, she was making preparations to cross Mongolia by foot. She moved to Espigüete and began training at Montaña Palentina  [ es ]. [2] She later decided that she was physically capable of the task, but was not mentally prepared for the prolonged isolation. [1]

Timecave

To prepare for the social isolation in the Mongolian desert, Flamini intended to beat the record of 463 days spent in an underground cave set by Milutin Veljković. Flamini planned to be more strict with her seclusion than Veljković, wishing to completely disconnect from human interaction. She picked a cave north of Motril in Granada. The cave was 230 feet (70 m) deep, and the main chamber measured 3,000 square feet (280 m2) and had 40 feet (12 m) tall ceilings. [1] The expedition became known as "Timecave". [3]

On November 21, 2021, Flamini entered the cave at the age of 48. Her time was spent recreationally exercising, drawing, reading, and knitting. [4] She was conscious about maintaining the natural silence of the cave and limited how much she spoke aloud. [5] Flamini had the ability to send messages above ground, but not to receive them. She was supported by a group of volunteers, who removed waste, provided food, and maintained her equipment. Provisions were dead dropped halfway down the cave to limit interaction between support staff and Flamini. [1]

Her experiences were monitored by scientists, including chronobiologists at several Spanish universities. [6] In September 2022, approximately 300 days into her isolation, Flamini began experiencing intense discomfort. She claimed this was due to "inaudible sonic waves" emitted by her emergency communication equipment. She moved her sleeping tent to the exit of the cave. She had a brief face-to-face discussion with a member of her team, ending her streak of seclusion. Her eight days spent at the exit of the cave disqualified her from beating the record set by Veljković. [1]

Flamini emerged from the cave on April 14, 2023. She stated that she enjoyed her tenure in the cave, and claimed she could have remained isolated for a further 500 days. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisco Vázquez de Coronado</span> Spanish explorer of the American southwest

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led a large expedition from what is now Mexico to present-day Kansas through parts of the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542. Vázquez de Coronado had hoped to reach the Cities of Cíbola, often referred to now as the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. His expedition marked the first European sightings of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River, among other landmarks. His name is often Anglicized as Vasquez de Coronado or just Coronado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cave rescue</span> Specialized field of wilderness rescue

Cave rescue is a highly specialized field of wilderness rescue in which injured, trapped or lost cave explorers are medically treated and extracted from various cave environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peggy Whitson</span> American astronaut and biochemistry researcher (born 1960)

Peggy Annette Whitson is an American biochemistry researcher, and astronaut working for Axiom Space. She retired from NASA in 2018, after serving as Chief Astronaut. Over all her missions, Whitson has a total of 665 days in space, more than any other American or woman.

Debra Janine Thomas is an American figure skater and physician. She is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. Her rivalry with East Germany's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was known as the Battle of the Carmens.

Stefania Follini 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. 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.

<i>Yo soy Betty, la fea</i> 1999 Colombian telenovela

Yo soy Betty, la fea, often referred to simply as Betty, la fea, is a Colombian telenovela created by Fernando Gaitán. It aired from 25 October 1999 to 8 May 2001 on RCN. Ana María Orozco stars as the titular character, alongside Jorge Enrique Abello, Natalia Ramírez, Lorna Cepeda, Luis Mesa and Julián Arango.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beatriz Paredes Rangel</span> Mexican politician

Beatriz Elena Paredes Rangel is a Mexican politician who served as president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) from 2007 to 2011. She was the first woman to serve as Governor of Tlaxcala and the second woman to serve as a state governor in Mexican history. She unsuccessfully mounted candidacies for Head of the Federal District in 2006 and 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roz Savage</span> English politician and rower (born 1967)

Rosalind Elizabeth Adriana Savage MBE FRGS MP, known as Roz Savage, is an English ocean rower, environmental advocate, writer, speaker and politician. She was elected as a Liberal Democrat MP for the new South Cotswolds constituency at the 2024 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenzin Palmo</span> Tibetan Buddhist bhikṣuṇī

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo is a bhikṣuṇī in the Drukpa lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. She is an author, teacher and founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in Himachal Pradesh, India. She is best known for being one of the very few Western yoginis trained in the East, having spent twelve years living in a remote cave in the Himalayas, three of those years in strict meditation retreat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">María Zambrano</span> Spanish philosopher (1904–1991)

María Zambrano Alarcón was a Spanish essayist and philosopher associated with the Generation of '36 movement. Her extensive work between the civic engagement and the poetic reflection started to be recognised in Spain over the last quarter of the 20th century after living many years in exile. She was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award (1981) and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize (1988).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasha Rigby</span> American skier (1970–2024)

Catherine "Kasha" Rigby was an American competitive skier from Utah. She is most noted for her many achievements and first descents as "the pioneer of extreme telemark skiing."

Maurizio Montalbini was an Italian sociologist and caver who had lived in complete isolation in an underground chamber multiple times since 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cave dweller</span> Human being who inhabits a cave

A cave dweller, or troglodyte, is a human who inhabits a cave or the area beneath the overhanging rocks of a cliff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Rubins</span> American microbiologist and NASA astronaut

Kathleen Hallisey "Kate" Rubins is an American microbiologist and NASA astronaut. She became the 60th woman to fly in space when she launched on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 7, 2016. She returned to Earth in Kazakhstan on October 30, 2016, aboard a Soyuz. She was a crew member of Expedition 48/49 and Expedition 63/64 of the ISS. Rubins has spent a total of 300 days, 1 hour, and 31 minutes in space which is the fourth most days in space by a U.S female astronaut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frasassi Caves</span> Cave system in Genga, Marche, Italy

The Frasassi Caves are a karst cave system in the municipality of Genga, Italy, in the province of Ancona, Marche. They are among the most famous show caves in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Meir</span> American astronaut and marine biologist

Jessica Ulrika Meir is an American NASA astronaut, marine biologist, and physiologist. She was previously an assistant professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, following postdoctoral research in comparative physiology at the University of British Columbia. She has studied the diving physiology and behavior of emperor penguins in Antarctica, and the physiology of bar-headed geese, which are able to migrate over the Himalayas. In September 2002, Meir served as an aquanaut on the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 4 crew. In 2013, she was selected by NASA to Astronaut Group 21. In 2016, Meir participated in ESA CAVES, a training course in which international astronauts train in a space-analogue cave environment. Meir launched on September 25, 2019, to the ISS onboard Soyuz MS-15, where she served as a flight Engineer during Expedition 61 and 62. On October 18, 2019, Meir and Christina Koch were the first women to participate in an all-female spacewalk.

Bahra tayegu or bahra chuyegu is a rite of passage in the Newar community of Nepal, involving girls aged 7 to 13 practicing self-discipline for 12 days. Throughout this period, women within the community impart knowledge about womanhood and its various challenges to the young participant. Contrary to the misconception that a girl is wedded to the sun god in a marriage ceremony, it's important to clarify that this is inaccurate. Instead, the ritual is more focused on the practice of self-discipline. In Nepalbhasa, the term "bahra" originates from the word "Bareyagu," which translates to restraining oneself or practicing self-discipline. During this ritual, adolescent girls undergo a 12-day period of seclusion in a dark room. Unfortunately, there is a common misconception where the term "gufa" is inaccurately used to describe "Baarhaa." It is essential to clarify that Baarhaa should not be referred to as "gufa". In a softly lit room, shielded from sunlight and devoid of any male contact, the crash course commences. Its purpose is to equip her for the transition to a new phase where she must conduct herself as a woman. These preparations constitute a crucial process, ensuring she is ready to navigate the world beyond her parents' home when she embarks on living with her spouse's family. The final day is marked with a bhwe and celebrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ESA CAVES</span> European Space Agency astronaut training course

CAVES, an acronym for Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and performance Skills, is a European Space Agency astronaut training course in which international astronauts train in a space-analogue cave environment. Designed at the European Astronaut Center, the course aims to prepare astronauts for safe and efficient long duration spaceflight operations by means of a realistic scientific and exploration mission within a multicultural, ISS-representative team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Tortajada</span> Spanish dancer and singer (1867-1957)

Consuelo Tamayo Hernández, known professionally as La Tortajada, was a Spanish dancer and singer in vaudeville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milutin Veljković</span> Serbian speleologist (1935 – 2011)

Milutin Veljković was a Serbian speleologist, electrician, and physics student, best known for setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest consecutive time spent underground.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Max, D. T. (21 January 2024). "The Woman Who Spent Five Hundred Days in a Cave". The New Yorker. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  2. Benito, A. (4 June 2019). "50 días: una historia de autosuficiencia". Diario Palentino (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  3. Kuta, Sarah (17 April 2023). "Spanish Athlete Emerges After 500 Days Alone in Underground Cave". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  4. Wright, George (14 April 2023). "Beatriz Flamini: Athlete emerges after 500 days living in cave". BBC. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 Jones, Sam (14 April 2023). "Spanish woman emerges after spending 500 days living alone in cave". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  6. Maughan, Philip (3 August 2023). "The Rediscovery Of Circadian Rhythms". Noema Magazine. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

Further reading