Scientists Built Amazon Rainforest Research Rings

Researchers have installed six metal towers in the Amazon to simulate future atmospheric conditions.

Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Environmental

A large circular metal structure rises above the dense canopy of the Amazon rainforest in a tropical landscape.
Scientists have deployed a series of massive circular towers in the Amazon rainforest near Manaus to simulate future atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should scientists conduct experimental climate projects inside the Amazon rainforest?

Scientists have constructed six metal ring structures above the Amazon rainforest canopy near Manaus, Brazil. These towers are designed to simulate future atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to study how the forest will respond.

Why it matters

The study aims to provide critical data on how the worlds largest rainforest will adapt to climate change over the coming decade. Understanding these ecosystem shifts is vital for global environmental modeling.

The installation features six massive metal ring structures positioned 80 kilometres north of Manaus. These specialized towers form rings that reach above the forest canopy to manipulate the surrounding air.

The players

David Lapola

He is a researcher at the State University of Campinas and leads the AmazonFACE project team.

State University of Campinas

This is a public research university in Brazil that is spearheading the AmazonFACE experimental study.

The details

Led by David Lapola from the State University of Campinas, the project utilizes these rings to recreate predicted atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This infrastructure allows researchers to directly test the rainforest ecosystem response in a real-world setting.

Timeline

  1. The AmazonFACE research project will launch in the next few months.

  2. The experiment is scheduled to run for the upcoming decade.

The Big Picture

The AmazonFACE research project represents a shift toward active environmental manipulation in large-scale ecological studies. This experiment moves beyond observational models by testing how primary rainforest vegetation will behave under projected future atmospheric conditions.

The findings from these experiments will likely influence future global environmental policies and conservation strategies. By providing more accurate data on carbon absorption, the study may affect how nations approach climate goals.

The takeaway

This project highlights the growing scientific focus on empirical data collection within threatened tropical ecosystems. Readers should monitor future findings for potential updates on how the Amazon rainforest impacts global carbon cycles.

Further reading

Learn more about the latest developments in the Environmental science sector.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Nature.

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Should scientists conduct experimental climate projects inside the Amazon rainforest?