Florida professor aiming to spend 100 days in undersea habitat

March 16 (UPI) -- A University of South Florida professor has spent the past 16 days in a structure located 22 feet under the sea -- and he is planning to remain until he hits a total of 100 days.

Joe Dituri, an associate professor at the University of South Florida, is living in an underwater hotel dubbed the Jules Undersea Lodge, located 22 feet below the surface in a Key Largo lagoon.

Dituri said he is aiming to remain for 100 days and break the Guinness World Record for the most continuous time spent in an underwater habitat. The current record of 73 days was set at the Jules Undersea Lodge in 2014 by Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain.

Dituri said his project was inspired by director James Cameron, who asked the professor to evaluate one of his submersibles in 2012.

The professor said he is hoping his experience, dubbed Project Neptune, will help him make new discoveries including studying the effect that the project had on his own body.

Dituri, who is chronicling his project on social media, said he will not be alone for the entire duration of the project, as student divers will be making occasional visits to the Jules Undersea Lodge.