Scientists lock 15 people in a cave for 40 days — no clocks, no sunlight
NCT ID NCT05603780
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study placed 15 healthy volunteers in a natural cave with no access to time cues for 40 days. Researchers measured how their sense of time, sleep cycles, stress levels, and group coordination changed. The goal was to understand how humans adapt to extreme isolation and time distortion, which could help prepare for long space missions or other isolated environments.
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 scientists 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 small, observational study with only 15 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It does not test any treatment or intervention.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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CHU CAEN
Caen, France
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