Scientists lock 15 people in a cave for 40 days — no clocks, no sunlight
NCT ID NCT05603780
First seen Apr 13, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 15 times
Summary
This completed study placed 15 healthy volunteers in an underground cave for 40 days with no access to time cues like clocks or sunlight. Researchers measured changes in thinking, sleep patterns, stress levels, and how the group worked together. The goal was to learn how humans adapt to extreme isolation and time distortion, which could help prepare for long space missions or emergency situations.
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Locations
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CHU CAEN
Caen, France
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
What this could lead to
If successful, this could help us understand how humans adapt to extreme isolation and time distortion, which may inform future space missions or disaster scenarios.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, observational study with only 15 participants, so findings may not apply to the general population. It does not test any treatment or intervention.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.