lew (11/23/82)
The 1973 edition of Encyclopedia Britannica contains the following paragraphs in the article "Space Exploration", under the heading "The Vacuum of Space": Exposed to such a vacuum environment, the unprotected human being would have less than 15 sec. of consciousness because of the swift onset of acute hypoxia, and immediate, catastrophic decompression symptoms including bends, chokes, palsies, and ebullism. The last term is defined as the profuse evaporation or "boiling" of body fluids. To protect the astronaut against the vacuum of space, typical U.S. spacecraft are designed to contain a normal operating pressure of 5 psia (pounds per square inch, absolute) of 100% oxygen, and a minimum emergency pressure of 3.5 psia. --------------------------------------------- Some comments on other net.space submissions: Venting your lungs would surely "freeze dry" them rapidly. Your heart maintains a pressure DIFFERENCE between the venous and arterial systems. It cannot pressurize the whole circulatory system. Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew