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Athlete spends 500 days in underground cave

Isolation - Level 4

An athlete just spent a record-breaking 500 days alone in a 70-metre-deep cave. Beatriz Flamini, 50, is a mountaineer. She took part in a study to examine the effects of isolation and deprivation on health. She started her solitary endeavour in November 2021 and came out of the cave last Friday. After resurfacing, she had health check-ups. Rather than have a shower, she went into a press conference.

Ms Flamini smiled as she explained that time had flown by. She was surprised the 500 days had ended. She said she lost track of time after day 65 because "it was always 4am". She was monitored by psychologists, but had no contact with anyone else. She said her success was due to getting on well with herself. She was happy that she kept her promise to stay in the cave for 500 days. She missed roast chicken.

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Isolation - Level 5

An athlete has just spent a record-breaking 500 days alone in a cave. Beatriz Flamini, 50, is an extreme mountaineer. She took part in a study to examine the effects of extreme isolation and deprivation on health. She lived in solitude in a cave 70 metres deep. She started her solitary endeavour in November 2021 and emerged from her underground abode last Friday. After resurfacing, she had health check-ups from a doctor and a psychologist. Rather than have a shower, she answered reporters' questions in a press conference.

Ms Flamini was smiling as she explained that time had flown by. She was surprised when scientists told her the 500 days had ended. She was regularly monitored by psychologists, but had no contact with anyone else. She said she lost track of time after day 65 "because it was always four in the morning". She added that her success was due to "being very consistent" and getting on well with herself. She was happy that she "lived up to [her] commitment to live in a cave for 500 days". She admitted having cravings for roast chicken.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Isolation - Level 6

An elite athlete has just emerged from spending a record-breaking 500 days alone in a cave in Spain. Beatriz Flamini, 50, is an extreme mountaineer. She participated in a scientific study to examine the effects of extreme isolation and deprivation on physical and mental health. She had to live in solitude in a cave 70 metres deep. She embarked on the solitary endeavour on the 20th of November 2021 and emerged from her subterranean abode last Friday. After resurfacing, she was given health check-ups by a doctor and psychologist. Rather than have a shower, she faced inquisitive reporters in a press conference, in which she briefly explained the past 16 months.

Ms Flamini was beaming as she told journalists that time had flown by. She said she was surprised when scientists came to tell her the 500 days had ended. She had been constantly monitored by psychologists and cave experts, but had no contact with anyone else. She lost track of time and all perception of time after day 65 "because it was always four in the morning". She explained her attitude, saying: "The most important thing is being very consistent.…I lived up to my commitment to living in a cave for 500 days." She put her success down to being able to "get on very well with myself". She did admit to having occasional cravings for roast chicken.

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson