# Frozen eyeballs



## Paradox 99 (Jul 17, 2006)

Ok, this is something I've wondered about for a while, but always forget to ask.

What would _really_ happen if a person gets sucked out into the vacuum of space?
I've seen and read so many different versions on what happens that I have no real idea what would occcur?

Would you freeze instantly, explode from internal pressure or float around for a few seconds screaming with no noise before you die from an embolism or something?

Just curious.


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## star.torturer (Jul 17, 2006)

low preasure would rip you apart


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## dreamwalker (Jul 19, 2006)

star.torturer said:
			
		

> low preasure would rip you apart


only if you held your breath appearntly



> NASA SP-3006. This chapter discusses animal studies of decompression to vacuum. It does not mention any human studies.
> 
> page 5, (following a general discussion of low pressures and ebullism), the author gives an account of what is to be the expected result of vacuum exposure: [FONT=Arial,Helv]
> "Some degree of consciousness will probably be retained for 9 to 11 seconds (see chapter 2 under Hypoxia). In rapid sequence thereafter, paralysis will be followed by generalized convulsions and paralysis once again. During this time, water vapor will form rapidly in the soft tissues and somewhat less rapidly in the venous blood. This evolution of water vapor will cause marked swelling of the body to perhaps twice its normal volume unless it is restrained by a pressure suit. (It has been demonstrated that a properly fitted elastic garment can entirely prevent ebullism at pressures as low as 15 mm Hg absolute [Webb, 1969, 1970].)
> ...


More here...
http://www.sff.net/people/Geoffrey.Landis/vacuum.html



It's a good read, for more info, google *explosive decompression *


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## Paige Turner (Jul 19, 2006)

Excellent! And very graphic!


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## dreamwalker (Jul 19, 2006)

> How long can a human live unprotected in space?
> If you don't try to hold your breath, exposure to space for half a minute or so is unlikely to produce permanent injury. Holding your breath is likely to damage your lungs, something scuba divers have to watch out for when ascending, and you'll have eardrum trouble if your Eustachian tubes are badly plugged up, but theory predicts -- and animal experiments confirm -- that otherwise, exposure to vacuum causes no immediate injury. You do not explode. Your blood does not boil. You do not freeze. You do not instantly lose consciousness.
> Various minor problems (sunburn, possibly "the bends", certainly some [mild, reversible, painless] swelling of skin and underlying tissue) start after ten seconds or so. At some point you lose consciousness from lack of oxygen. Injuries accumulate. After perhaps one or two minutes, you're dying. The limits are not really known. You do not explode and your blood does not boil because of the containing effect of your skin and circulatory system. You do not instantly freeze because, although the space environment is typically very cold, heat does not transfer away from a body quickly. Loss of consciousness occurs only after the body has depleted the supply of oxygen in the blood. If your skin is exposed to direct sunlight without any protection from its intense ultraviolet radiation, you can get a very bad sunburn.


From a NASA site - http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970603.html


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## jof (Jul 19, 2006)

LOL, sunburn!!!!! XDXDXDXD


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## dustinzgirl (Jul 19, 2006)

I always thought you were supposed to hold your breath. That is what D'Argo does when he goes into space. 

I also always believed in the blood boiling thing...what movie was that from?

Actually, I think I just watch way, way too many space movies.

Great stuff guys, glad someone posted it.

Uh, PS:



			
				Nasa people said:
			
		

> The saliva on your tongue might boil, however



NASTY.


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