Biosphere (Genoa)

Inside, a small portion of a tropical rainforest has been recreated, hosting over 150 species of animal and plant organisms such as birds, turtles, fish, insects, large tree ferns (Pteridophyta) from the city's nurseries reaching up to seven meters in height, and various species of tropical plants traditionally used by humans. It was designed by the Genoese architect Renzo Piano and opened to the public in 2001 on the occasion of the G8 summit in Genoa. There are two air conditioning systems: one artificial, used in winter, consists of thermal machines located beneath the sphere that exploit the heat of seawater to power, via a heat pump, a series of radiators; the other is natural, made up of a system of movable sails that adjust according to the sun's position, varying the amount of solar radiation entering (by shading more or less). The structure, designed by the famous Genoese architect, was officially inaugurated on January 19, 2002, by then Mayor of Genoa Giuseppe Pericu and Paolo Messina, CEO of Ignazio Messina & C. - which financed the project. ==Life forms present==

Animals • Ploceidae • Salmon-crested cockatoo • Red-eared slider turtle • Stick insect • African cichlids Plants • Tree ferns • Mangroves • Acacia erioloba (camel thorn) • Carica papaya (papaya) • Ceiba speciosa (silk floss tree) • Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) • Coffea (coffee) • Couroupita guianensis (cannonball tree) • Dendrobium compactum (orchid) • Ficus benjamina • Ficus sycomorus (sycamore fig) • Gossypium (cotton) • Manilkara chicle (chicle tree – chewing gum source) • Musa acuminata (banana tree) • Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plant) • Passiflora phoenicea • Phalaenopsis amabilis (moth orchid) • Piper nigrum (black pepper) • Ravenala madagascariensis (traveler's tree) • Theobroma cacao (cocoa) • Vanilla planifolia (vanilla) == Note ==