For many of us, the idea of being completely alone and isolated from the outside world is a terrifying proposition. After all, an extended stay in solitary confinement is considered a fitting punishment for serious crimes—it’s not something that most people would happily choose for themselves.
Beatriz Flamini, however, is not “most people.” The Spanish extreme athlete has always been comfortable in her own company, even from a young age. Soon after turning 40 in 2013, Flamini decided she needed a change of pace and left her "ordinary" life as an aerobics instructor in Madrid. She became a caretaker at a mountain refuge in the Sierra de Gredos, living in a campervan and spending most of her time hiking and climbing. After Spain’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns were lifted, Flamini seriously considered undertaking a solo crossing of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, a feat that had only been achieved by one other European. Yet although she considered herself physically fit, she worried about the mental toll and decided to undertake an endurance challenge to prepare for the extended solitude of crossing the desert. She had always enjoyed spending time in caves, and the idea for the "Time Cave" project gradually emerged.
On November 21, 2021, at age 48, she embarked on an incredible challenge: spending 500 days alone in a cave near Granada, Andalusia, some 230 feet (70 m) below ground. Before this, the longest she had spent alone was 95 days in the Cantabrian Mountains.
Flamini was monitored throughout her time in the cave by researchers and advisers, including psychologists and speleologists (cave experts). Security cameras, a computer for sending one-way transmissions, and a panic button were installed for her safety. Flamini’s 500 days in the “Time Cave” were also tracked by university researchers interested in seeing how her physical and psychological well-being were affected by prolonged isolation and exposure to the dark.
In the cave, Flamini tried to keep herself busy by exercising, drawing, reading (she completed 60 books), and knitting hats. A local catering company lowered meals onto a ledge halfway down the shaft that she could reach by climbing a rope. Solar—charged batteries were also sent down so that she could use some lights, and she requested an MP3 player soon into her stay to listen to music.
Flamini emerged on April 14, 2023, having celebrated two birthdays underground. When she emerged, she appeared to be in excellent spirits, hugging her team and describing her subterranean sojourn as “excellent” and "unbeatable." She even said she was ready to do another 500 days, though how she really felt about her experience turned out to be far more complicated.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing. She experienced frequent auditory hallucinations and sometimes became seriously disoriented and distressed. At one point, she was covered by an invading swarm of flies. After emerging from the cave, her balance was unsteady, and she had to be held by her team. GoPro footage later revealed that Flamini had struggled with the darkness, social isolation, and lack of temporal awareness far more than she initially let on, losing interest in the scientific experiments and spending the vast majority of her time lying down in a state somewhere between sleep and wakefulness.
Alone in the dark:
- Medical evaluations after the Time Cave revealed that Flamini had lost around 14 pounds. According to her doctors, she was mentally and physically healthy, though her peripheral vision, short-term memory, and walking ability were below their pre-cave baselines. However, much to the disappointment of the scientists who had been keen to learn from her experiences, Flamini halted her participation in the research project, especially the psychological tests, clearly not wanting to relive her cave experiences. Experts say that her behavior may indicate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
- The world record for the longest time spent underground was set by Serbian speleologist Milutin Veljković in 1970. Veljković spent 464 days living in Samar Cave, though he used a phone and a radio for contact with the outside world, which Flamini did not do. Veljković kept a detailed diary during his stay, which later became the basis for his book Under the Stone Sky.
- Flamini’s 500 days in the cave will not break Veljković’s world record. In September 2022, struggling mightily, she went to the mouth of the cave and set up her tent. Flamini spent eight days there and had a brief conversation with a member of her team before descending back to the main cave chamber. Although she did not emerge from the cave, the incident compromised her attempt to break Veljković’s record, though she has applied to Guinness World Records to become the female record holder.
