The TV science-fiction seriesStar Trekno longer looked far-fetched   as four men and four women in black space-suits locked themselves into a giant hi-tech greenhouse, known as a 'biosphere', in the Arizona desert yesterday for a two-year study of the environment. As dawn broke over the Santa Catalina mountains, the eight waved goodbye to television cameras. Edward Ross, their multibillionaire sponsor from a Texas oil family, closed the door of the $150 million structure, with its mini-ocean, marsh, desert, savanna, rain-forest and 3,800 plant and animal species designed to allow the team to recreate Earth and its ecosystems. The so-called Biosphere 2 is the latest of a dozen environmental projects started by the self-titled 'ecopreneur'. The project's main aim is to set up a self-sustaining community for possible use in a spaceship or on another planet. The crew members must plant, harvest and process their food on a half-acre farm in the seven-storey glass and metal structure, while conducting a series of experiments. 'We will be custodians   of our new little world,' said Abigail Mayer, aged 31, a US marine biologist on the team, her voice choking with emotion. 'It is a brave new step.' Many scientists, however, are more than skeptical. They point out that the largest closed ecosystem which survived more than a few days was smaller than a football. It was developed at the University of Miami and contained only shrimp, algae and other micro-organisms. Critics have also accused Mr. Ross of being more interested in producing a profitable theme park than in carrying out serious scientific research. Hundreds of tourists visited the site daily in the summer before it was occupied by the team. They paid $9.95 to enter and all stopped at the souvenir shop. What can we infer from the passage?
There is a scene in  Star Trekwhere four men and four women locked themselves into giant greenhouse. All the species of plants and animals on the Earth were brought into the greenhouse. Mr. Ross made tourists stop at the souvenir shop to gain profits. Many scientists are doubtful whether this system can last long enough.