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Two major futuristic projects are shaping discussions about the future of urban development. One is a privately funded attempt to create an underwater living environment in the UK, supported by a secret investor. The other is Saudi Arabia’s multi-trillion-dollar linear city, facing growing challenges despite its scale and ambition. Both topics reveal how visionary ideas interact with engineering limits, economic pressures, and the realities of turning ambitious concepts into functioning places. Animation is created by Bright Side.
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Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/
Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV
Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz
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For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me
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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
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00:00You have about $130 million. What would you do with it? Fly into space or buy an island?
00:07There are many ways you can spend this much money, but one anonymous investor used it to build an extravagant underwater city.
00:16The project is not finished yet, and a lot of people are currently working really hard to make this crazy idea come to life.
00:23If all goes well, in the near future, living under the sea may become a reality.
00:30In the past century, there was a limestone quarry near the Welsh border in England.
00:36In the 1990s, it became flooded and turned into a lake 260 feet deep.
00:42Now, there's a large construction project going on around it.
00:47Trucks, transport materials, and people in overalls construct huge modules that look like giant futuristic submarines.
00:54These modules are called sentinels, and they will become the buildings of a small underwater city.
01:01Builders and engineers create durable stainless steel materials that allow these houses to withstand a depth of up to 650 feet.
01:10This is the upper limit of the twilight zone, where very little sunlight penetrates.
01:16Large squid and other creatures live in this zone.
01:18Imagine waking up in an underwater hotel room and seeing a giant squid staring at you from the dark.
01:26Or even worse, you see a huge eye watching you as you wake up.
01:30This could happen if sentinels were successfully installed in the depths of the ocean.
01:35Meanwhile, let's return to our project on a small lake.
01:38The project is called DEEP.
01:42Its goal is to make life underwater as comfortable as possible.
01:46Inside living modules, builders install bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and observation windows.
01:52People will access them using small submarines.
01:55However, it's not as simple as calling a taxi.
01:57To live underwater, you need to train under the guidance of experienced instructors to test yourself in underwater life simulators.
02:06The cost of living there will likely be expensive, but it's worth it.
02:10At least you will be well fed.
02:12A chef will develop a special menu, and all food will be stored in vacuum-sealed bags to preserve its flavor and nutrients.
02:20It all sounds great, but there's a question.
02:23Who is financing this project?
02:26No one knows the answer.
02:28DEEP is funded by a secret investor who has already spent more than $100 million.
02:35Interestingly, this is not the first attempt to create an underwater dwelling.
02:38For example, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a famous diver-explorer, first created the Con Shelf 1 underwater house in 1962.
02:48This was a steel cylinder located at a depth of 30 feet, where two divers lived for a week.
02:55In 1970, several women also spent 14 days underwater in the Caribbean Sea at a depth of 50 feet.
03:02The aim of that project was to study human psychology in a cramped environment, similar to that of a spaceship.
03:10Unsurprisingly, that project was partly funded by NASA.
03:15Okay, we have windows overlooking marine life, delicious food, underwater parties, and solitude away from civilization.
03:23All these things sound cool, but if we put aside the fun part for a moment, is there any real benefit to it?
03:29Oh yeah, ocean exploration!
03:32Many marine biologists believe that the best way to explore the ocean is from within.
03:38Diving doesn't help much since divers are limited by time and body needs.
03:42They can stay underwater for only about an hour and a half at a time.
03:46Underwater cities could allow us to live underwater for months.
03:50But the most important thing is long-term observation of marine life in its natural habitat.
03:54In the mid-1990s, a group of researchers wanted to study the development and nutrition of corals.
04:02They brought them to the lab for testing and found out that corals reacted differently to tests in artificial environments than in the ocean.
04:10Their behavior in a laboratory setting was different from their behavior in the wild.
04:14Underwater cities could also provide work for archaeologists who study the remains of ships that have sunk throughout history.
04:24Plus, such cities could help protect us from future disasters.
04:28In the event of a catastrophe like an earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption, scientists and engineers could build water-based shelters like the Subbiosphere 2 Project to provide refuge for people.
04:40These circular structures could sink into the ocean and give shelter for up to 50 or 100 people, allowing them to wait out the disaster from a safe distance.
04:51Underwater cities could be an excellent solution to overpopulation, but there are some downsides.
04:57We already pollute the world's oceans, and what if we literally lived inside them?
05:02It's one thing to use labs to study marine life, but it's another to build hotels for vacationers.
05:08One such hotel, called the Water Discus, is a building at a depth of no more than 32 feet.
05:15It will have 21 rooms and a restaurant with coral reef views.
05:20While the conditions seem comfortable, some experts worry that staying there for long periods could be harmful because of the lack of sunlight.
05:28Nevertheless, it would be interesting to stay there for a week and see how it feels.
05:32The most challenging aspect of creating such laboratories, hotels, and bunkers is ensuring a reliable life support and safety system.
05:42It's crucial that the air, humidity, and temperature be as comfortable as possible for people to live in these structures.
05:49However, this requires a significant amount of energy.
05:52Currently, all modern underwater buildings rely on external sources of energy located on the surface.
05:59But scientists plan to make future underwater projects fully autonomous, using kinetic energy from waves and powerful solar panels to generate power.
06:08It's also important to create the right structure for these buildings.
06:12Rather than covering an underwater city with a giant bubble, it's more efficient to create several large housing modules.
06:18Each module should consist of steel, glass, and special cement.
06:23Also, the depth shouldn't exceed 1,000 feet, since a deeper location would require thicker walls because of high water pressure.
06:32To load and move these residential modules safely, engineers can use ballast tanks.
06:37These are large containers filled with water, which are used to pull the modules down deep into the ocean.
06:43Once in place, engineers can release the water from the tanks and fill them with air, causing the house to float back to the surface.
06:52And what about fresh air?
06:54Fish extract oxygen from the water using their gills, but this method is obviously not suitable for humans.
07:01Therefore, we need to deliver air from the surface.
07:04It can be piped into the city and mixed with a special substance called sodasorb, which reacts with carbon dioxide and removes it.
07:12It would be great if we could generate oxygen inside our underwater cities rather than relying on other sources.
07:20This would require farms and plants that can produce oxygen through photosynthesis.
07:25But instead of sunlight, these plants would use artificial light.
07:30If we talk about complete autonomy, people could get food from the water at any moment.
07:35Put on scuba gear, a mask, and an oxygen tank, and leave the hotel through an airlock.
07:41Use harpoons and fishing nets to catch dinner.
07:44Remember to check your oxygen reserves and don't swim for too long.
07:48Frying fish in a pan won't work because of strong odors.
07:51In an underwater dwelling, air is static like in an airplane cabin, so odors become stronger.
07:57Maybe in the future, engineers will create a dedicated cooking area, but for now, you'll have to rely on canned and dehydrated food.
08:07If you get bored, go for an underwater walk.
08:10Instead of carrying oxygen tanks, use hollow tubes connecting your mask to an air source inside your home.
08:16But don't forget that you can't go too far because the length of the tube is limited.
08:21Air, food, safe construction.
08:24What else?
08:25Drinking water
08:26In the future, scientists may create filters in these hotels that desalinate salt water.
08:32This water can be extracted from the condensation inside the hotel, as well as from human secretions.
08:39Don't be surprised.
08:40Astronauts, for example, have been using special technology to filter their liquids and turn them into drinking water for a long time.
08:47You're standing in the middle of a vast, empty desert in Saudi Arabia.
08:56But in the middle of that emptiness, two enormous mirrored skyscrapers rise side by side, in perfect parallel to each other.
09:04This isn't just some sci-fi concept.
09:08It's the line.
09:09The centerpiece of Saudi Arabia's boldest urban project yet.
09:13Now, Saudi Arabia is already home to some of the most ambitious architecture in the world.
09:21From Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District to the iconic Abraj al-Bait Towers in Mecca, they've been working hard for years.
09:31But the line is in a league of its own.
09:34This project was announced in 2021, and it is part of a larger vision for the country's future called NEO.
09:40A $500 billion mega-project designed to redefine how people live, work, and interact with the environment.
09:50I mean, what could go wrong, right?
09:52Well, I don't know.
09:54But Nadmi al-Nasr, the longtime chief executive of the ambitious project, has recently departed.
10:00Suspicious.
10:02Even more so because NEOM's statement issued soon after did not give any plausible reason for his departure.
10:08Then, the line project itself was originally expected to cost around $200 billion.
10:15But by 2024, that number had skyrocketed to a mind-blowing $2 trillion.
10:22That's about twice Saudi Arabia's entire GDP.
10:26And if you ask independent experts, they think it could end up costing even more.
10:31At first, the plan was to build about 10 miles of the project and have 1.5 million people living there by 2030.
10:40By now, the expectations are way more modest.
10:44Only just under 1.5 miles are likely to be done by 2030, with fewer than 300,000 residents.
10:51The project has come across a lot of problems along the way.
10:56Engineering issues and management problems have caused major delays, and progress hasn't been as fast as hoped.
11:03And now, let's figure out what exactly is the line.
11:07It's a literal city made up of two parallel skyscrapers, each towering 1,640 feet high.
11:13That's higher than almost all the tallest skyscrapers in the world.
11:18These skyscrapers are 656 feet wide and stretch for a mind-boggling 106 miles across the northwest of Saudi Arabia, right near the Red Sea.
11:30The most astounding thing?
11:32The entire city is actually within this one structure.
11:35There are no cars, no roads, no emissions, but we'll go into detail a bit later.
11:43The complex is supposed to house 9 million people, and all of this running entirely on clean energy.
11:49Such a project aligns perfectly with Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 plan.
11:55The outside of the skyscrapers will be covered in mirrors that will reflect the surrounding desert landscape, creating an almost seamless blend between the city and its surroundings.
12:06Inside, there will be lush parks, cascading waterfalls, flying taxis, and even robot helpers to take care of everyday tasks.
12:15They're also planning to make an artificial moon as part of the city's design.
12:20One more thing that makes the line so unique is its design.
12:25Unlike traditional cities that spread out horizontally, the line is vertical.
12:30Everything—homes, offices, parks, schools, shopping centers—are stacked on top of each other in layers.
12:37This means that residents won't need to travel long distances to get what they need.
12:41In fact, the designers promise that all amenities will be within a 5-minute walk from anywhere in the city.
12:48And while it's compact in width, the city's vertically layered structure means it can comfortably fit all 9 million residents, while leaving plenty of room for parks, natural spaces, and modern conveniences.
13:01There's even a plan for year-round climate control, keeping both indoor and outdoor spaces at comfortable temperatures, no matter how harsh the desert weather gets.
13:11Of course, even with everything close by, people will still need to get around the city.
13:16Worry not, the line has it covered in the most futuristic way possible.
13:21It features a high-speed train system that will travel from one end of the city to the other in just 20 minutes.
13:27That's 106 miles in 20 minutes, with only 4 stops along the way.
13:33Imagine being able to get anywhere in the city faster than you could drive across town in most places today.
13:40Besides the train, the line will also have autonomous vehicles.
13:45Those will be cars and shuttles driving themselves with the help of advanced technology.
13:50They will handle everything from parking to going around obstacles.
13:53Even cooler, in the line, every car, train, and any other piece of infrastructure will be connected in a huge network called the Internet of Things.
14:04Sensors and real-time data will allow traffic to flow smoothly, preventing delays and reducing congestion.
14:11They first spoke about the NEOM project in 2017.
14:15Besides the line, NEOM is supposed to include an octagon-shaped floating industrial city and a posh mountain ski resort.
14:24There, Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Winter Games in 2029.
14:29Plus, there will be the world's largest green energy plant, which will make the region self-sufficient and sustainable.
14:36The goal of NEOM is to attract people from around the world, not just to visit, but to live there.
14:42Residents will even be given their own identity.
14:46NEOMians
14:47Not everyone thinks this construction is a good idea.
14:53Some urban planners and architects have pointed out pretty big flaws in the city's straight-line layout.
14:59You see, in a regular city like Johannesburg, which covers way more ground than the line,
15:05two random people are usually only about 20 miles apart.
15:08But in the line, the average distance between two random people would be 35 miles.
15:15That's almost double, even though the line's overall area is way smaller.
15:20This setup could make it harder for people to connect socially and might be a pain to navigate,
15:25even with a high-speed train zipping through it.
15:28Now, they promise that every resident will have everything they need within a five-minute walk, but there are doubts, too.
15:36People wonder if living in a super-compact, stacked-up design might end up feeling claustrophobic, or even too much to handle.
15:43As for the whole mirrored exterior idea, it looks pretty cool in renderings.
15:49But there's an opinion it could actually mess with the environment.
15:53Reflecting all that sunlight in a desert might disturb local wildlife or create unexpected heat issues.
15:59The line's high-tech features sound amazing, but they come with their own set of headaches.
16:05The city is supposed to run on the Internet of Things tech and autonomous vehicles.
16:10Sounds awesome, right?
16:11But how are they going to pull that off for a 106-mile-long city?
16:16For things to run smoothly, every piece of tech – cars, trains, infrastructure – needs to be perfectly in sync,
16:23sharing tons of real-time data.
16:25If there's even a tiny glitch, it could throw a wrench into daily life for millions of people.
16:31Then, there's that high-speed train.
16:33It does sound like a dream, but actually, building and keeping it running in the middle of a desert is not so easy.
16:40The heat, shifting sands, and wear and tear on the tracks could cause big delays and rack up costs pretty quickly.
16:48People around the world are questioning if the line is even doable.
16:52The first inhabitants were supposed to start living there by 2030,
16:56but there are reports about scaling the project back, so that deadline feels like a big stretch.
17:02There's also a sustainability issue.
17:05The line is supposed to have zero emissions and 100% clean energy.
17:10But building something so massive is bound to take tons of resources.
17:15With all these challenges, Saudi Arabia is looking into new ways to fund the line and figure out which parts of their Vision 2030 projects to prioritize.
17:26An insider has recently said that some projects might go ahead as planned, while others could be delayed or scaled down.
17:33This lines up with what Ali Shahabi, who's on Niamh's advisory board, has said.
17:39He admitted that the Vision 2030 goals were always meant to be super ambitious.
17:44Like, almost too ambitious.
17:46But he argued that even if they only pull off part of it in time, it'll still be a big deal.
17:53That's it for today.
17:55So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
18:00Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the bright side.
18:04Let's take care.
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