19 Times Someone Gets Thrown Into the Vacuum of Space
March 30, 2016 7:44 AM Subscribe
Another reason why The Expanse is such a great show.
posted by Pendragon at 8:01 AM on March 30, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by Pendragon at 8:01 AM on March 30, 2016 [12 favorites]
This is why I come to Metafilter and pay to support it.
posted by infini at 8:02 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by infini at 8:02 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
Why wouldn't duct tape seal a helmet leak?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:03 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:03 AM on March 30, 2016
Needs the great Heinlein short story, "Gentlemen, Be Seated" (fulltext).
posted by Jahaza at 8:04 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Jahaza at 8:04 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
Fun fact! One can find an instance of documented explosive decompression actually happening - there's one documented case with deep sea divers. (Warning: graphic description of boiling blood and, well, it's explosive decompression.)
Er, that's not really a fun fact. That's actually a really horrible fact.
posted by barchan at 8:06 AM on March 30, 2016 [18 favorites]
Er, that's not really a fun fact. That's actually a really horrible fact.
posted by barchan at 8:06 AM on March 30, 2016 [18 favorites]
The problem with the "realistic" scenes is that depicting vacuum exposure as not that big a deal is going to encourage kids to get themselves sucked out into space
posted by prize bull octorok at 8:07 AM on March 30, 2016 [77 favorites]
posted by prize bull octorok at 8:07 AM on March 30, 2016 [77 favorites]
Don't forget to pop your ears or space will do it for you.
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:13 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:13 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
What about pressure bruising? Did the Red Mars trilogy lie to me about that being a thing to worry about?
posted by vibratory manner of working at 8:14 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by vibratory manner of working at 8:14 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Why wouldn't duct tape seal a helmet leak?
That's kind of what the article says too; that it is entirely plausible to assume it would.
Or, in the words of The Martian itself: "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:15 AM on March 30, 2016 [13 favorites]
That's kind of what the article says too; that it is entirely plausible to assume it would.
Or, in the words of The Martian itself: "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:15 AM on March 30, 2016 [13 favorites]
Is there a similar list but for other wrong/right things in sci fi, like no sound in a vacuum? Always wondered what the most overall "realistic" depiction of space has been so far.
posted by picklenickle at 8:18 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by picklenickle at 8:18 AM on March 30, 2016
Is there a similar list but for other wrong/right things in sci fi, like no sound in a vacuum? Always wondered what the most overall "realistic" depiction of space has been so far.
2001: A Space Odyssey is high on that list, which is one of the reasons its so boring.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [24 favorites]
2001: A Space Odyssey is high on that list, which is one of the reasons its so boring.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [24 favorites]
The Expanse, 2001, and The Martian would be pretty high on that list.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by leotrotsky at 8:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Why wouldn't duct tape seal a helmet leak?
I've worked on vacuum systems in the lab. The main issue is that the glue would dry and crack pretty quickly, so it's not good for long term repairs. However, it's entirely credible to me though that it would make a good enough seal for long enough to the get the character to safety. He does a better repair when he's had the chance.
posted by bonehead at 8:25 AM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
I've worked on vacuum systems in the lab. The main issue is that the glue would dry and crack pretty quickly, so it's not good for long term repairs. However, it's entirely credible to me though that it would make a good enough seal for long enough to the get the character to safety. He does a better repair when he's had the chance.
posted by bonehead at 8:25 AM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
The Martian has a number of non-realistic elements which would put it lower than 2001, but higher than most sci-fi
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:26 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:26 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Before I clicked I mentally said "Oh please let Total Recall be #19."
posted by archimago at 8:27 AM on March 30, 2016 [14 favorites]
posted by archimago at 8:27 AM on March 30, 2016 [14 favorites]
barchan, those are decompressions from many multiples of atmospheric pressure to 1 ATM. Vacuum is just a drop of 1 ATM, and it turns out that human skin makes a perfectly respectable pressure suit in those circumstances. You still have issues, obviously, you can't hold your breath or it will damage your lungs, while if you don't hold your breath the oxygen gets sucked out of your blood faster than it otherwise would, so you only have 15 secs or so of consciousness rather than the minute-plus you might otherwise expect. But explosive decompression isn't a problem.
posted by tavella at 8:28 AM on March 30, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by tavella at 8:28 AM on March 30, 2016 [9 favorites]
Came for Event Horizon, left satisfied.
posted by C'est la D.C. at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by C'est la D.C. at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
archimago: "Before I clicked I mentally said "Oh please let Total Recall be #19.""
Same here. I have always imagined Arnold shouting COOOOOOOOHAAAAAAAGGGGGEEEEEN as his head swells up to almost bursting. Because Cohaagen is such a silly name.
posted by chavenet at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016
Same here. I have always imagined Arnold shouting COOOOOOOOHAAAAAAAGGGGGEEEEEN as his head swells up to almost bursting. Because Cohaagen is such a silly name.
posted by chavenet at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016
What bothers me is not so much what happens after they get "blown" into space, but rather how. Airlocks are not missile launchers.
posted by zinon at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by zinon at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016
Yeah, I already understand the difference between a vacuum and diving decompression chambers.
posted by barchan at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by barchan at 8:32 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
This made me want to re-watch Farscape and Battlestar Gallactica, and give The Expanse another chance after not being very impressed by the first episode. So that's a good outcome.
I did think that the blurbs had too much "This wouldn't happen!" without enough explanation of why not, or what would happen instead.
posted by not that girl at 8:35 AM on March 30, 2016
I did think that the blurbs had too much "This wouldn't happen!" without enough explanation of why not, or what would happen instead.
posted by not that girl at 8:35 AM on March 30, 2016
Or, in the words of The Martian itself: "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped."
Duct tape is like The Force. It has a Dark Side, a Light Side, and it holds the Universe together.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:38 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
Duct tape is like The Force. It has a Dark Side, a Light Side, and it holds the Universe together.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:38 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
Outland has got to be high on this list right?
*checks*
2nd worst, YES!
posted by Meatbomb at 8:42 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
*checks*
2nd worst, YES!
posted by Meatbomb at 8:42 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
And there are three guys who get the balloon head treatment in that movie, not just this one... it was actually the main way people died and the showcase "woo woo" special effect. I think that should trump Total Recall.
posted by Meatbomb at 8:46 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by Meatbomb at 8:46 AM on March 30, 2016
I have just consulted a materials engineer friend who works on space stuff. They have informed me that duct tape would probably be okay to temporarily fix a small leak but you need to "press down really really firmly".
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:50 AM on March 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by dephlogisticated at 8:50 AM on March 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
#20: Alien Resurrection, where squishy human/xeno gets sucked through a pinhole like, I dunno, jello through a straw? Turrible.
posted by Existential Dread at 8:50 AM on March 30, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by Existential Dread at 8:50 AM on March 30, 2016 [10 favorites]
Or, in the words of The Martian itself: "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped."
Maybe "duct tape" used to be different long ago, but right now it's useless. It's not very strong, it's not very sticky, but you need a solvent to get the stickiness off. You can't tear it one handed. It's not water proof and it won't stick to damp surfaces or polyethylene.
I actually can't think of a legitimate use for "duct tape".
posted by ennui.bz at 8:59 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Maybe "duct tape" used to be different long ago, but right now it's useless. It's not very strong, it's not very sticky, but you need a solvent to get the stickiness off. You can't tear it one handed. It's not water proof and it won't stick to damp surfaces or polyethylene.
I actually can't think of a legitimate use for "duct tape".
posted by ennui.bz at 8:59 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
"Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped."
See Handyman Corner: Two cars become one SUV using duct tape
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:02 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
See Handyman Corner: Two cars become one SUV using duct tape
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:02 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is one of those issues where people (readers/viewers) scream about inconsistencies because they totally know how it works 'cause they saw it on that movie that one time. Or even a bunch of movies.
I have a very brief (handful of seconds) exposure going on in my first sci-fi novel. I did my homework, read real science stuff, etc...and still got side-eye from another author about it (at a dinner, thankfully, not an online pissing match or whatever). Not that she'd read the novel; the mere concept sent her into instant irritation and she couldn't accept that I'd done it right, or even the more-or-less right of fiction.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:04 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have a very brief (handful of seconds) exposure going on in my first sci-fi novel. I did my homework, read real science stuff, etc...and still got side-eye from another author about it (at a dinner, thankfully, not an online pissing match or whatever). Not that she'd read the novel; the mere concept sent her into instant irritation and she couldn't accept that I'd done it right, or even the more-or-less right of fiction.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:04 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
1. Alien The alien goes into space and is totally fine and decides to live inside the thruster for a while because it's comfy and nothing can kill it and it is coming for you right now Ripley
Very Realistic and scary but also you can see the guy's rubber pants in this scene so less scary than I thought the first time I saw it
posted by beerperson at 9:05 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Very Realistic and scary but also you can see the guy's rubber pants in this scene so less scary than I thought the first time I saw it
posted by beerperson at 9:05 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have a very brief (handful of seconds) exposure going on in my first sci-fi novel. I did my homework, read real science stuff, etc...and still got side-eye from another author about it (at a dinner, thankfully, not an online pissing match or whatever). Not that she'd read the novel: the mere concept sent her into instant irritation and she couldn't accept that I'd done it right, or even the more-or-less right of fiction.
Scifiauthorxplain'
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:07 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Scifiauthorxplain'
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:07 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes. Let's assume that NASA uses gaff tape, and calls it Duct Tape, because the public knows what that is, and it's close enough to the truth.
I'm definitely all for gaff tape awareness, so I won't give NASA a free pass for this. I categorically dislike the term "sheeple," but I might apply it to the people who worship Duct Tape but don't know about gaff tape.
Gaff tape is good.
</derail>
posted by schmod at 9:08 AM on March 30, 2016 [11 favorites]
I'm definitely all for gaff tape awareness, so I won't give NASA a free pass for this. I categorically dislike the term "sheeple," but I might apply it to the people who worship Duct Tape but don't know about gaff tape.
Gaff tape is good.
</derail>
posted by schmod at 9:08 AM on March 30, 2016 [11 favorites]
Ah, these cold equations...
posted by infini at 9:14 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by infini at 9:14 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
The problem with the "realistic" scenes is that depicting vacuum exposure as not that big a deal is going to encourage kids to get themselves sucked out into space
You laugh now, but take the cautionary tale of J.B.S. Haldane to heart. He was a scientist, science-popularizer, and all-around bad-ass who ran decompression chamber experiments on himself, puncturing his eardrum. But it wasn't all down-side; as he said in one of his books, "the drum generally heals up; and if a hole remains in it, although one is somewhat deaf, one can blow tobacco smoke out of the ear in question, which is a social accomplishment."
posted by sgranade at 9:18 AM on March 30, 2016 [37 favorites]
You laugh now, but take the cautionary tale of J.B.S. Haldane to heart. He was a scientist, science-popularizer, and all-around bad-ass who ran decompression chamber experiments on himself, puncturing his eardrum. But it wasn't all down-side; as he said in one of his books, "the drum generally heals up; and if a hole remains in it, although one is somewhat deaf, one can blow tobacco smoke out of the ear in question, which is a social accomplishment."
posted by sgranade at 9:18 AM on March 30, 2016 [37 favorites]
This is one of those issues where people (readers/viewers) scream about inconsistencies because they totally know how it works 'cause they saw it on that movie that one time. Or even a bunch of movies.
Which is annoying because a few people have survived exposure to near-vacuum, and we've killed a few people through decompression to near vacuum. So we know pretty well what happens to humans when you put them in vacuum, and we know that Viktor Patsayev was a fucking hero (not to say that Volkov and Dobrovolsky weren't).
Ah, Mission To Mars. When I saw that in the theatre the crowd laughed at that scene, which kind of took away from the poignancy they were going for.
That scene was pre-ruined when the trained astronaut -- astronaut! the coolest cucumbers that ever dealt with disaster calmly and professionally! -- reacts to being told that she doesn't have the delta-v to save Hubby with BUT I LUUUUURVE YOOOOOU!!!! and starts anyway. And of course DePalma heaps this slander onto the lone woman.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:19 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Which is annoying because a few people have survived exposure to near-vacuum, and we've killed a few people through decompression to near vacuum. So we know pretty well what happens to humans when you put them in vacuum, and we know that Viktor Patsayev was a fucking hero (not to say that Volkov and Dobrovolsky weren't).
Ah, Mission To Mars. When I saw that in the theatre the crowd laughed at that scene, which kind of took away from the poignancy they were going for.
That scene was pre-ruined when the trained astronaut -- astronaut! the coolest cucumbers that ever dealt with disaster calmly and professionally! -- reacts to being told that she doesn't have the delta-v to save Hubby with BUT I LUUUUURVE YOOOOOU!!!! and starts anyway. And of course DePalma heaps this slander onto the lone woman.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:19 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
The Expanse! This is what a science fiction TV show should be. I'm sorry there aren't enough cowboys in space or whatever but I love it so much.
posted by Justinian at 9:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Justinian at 9:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Schmod, I've always wondered about that! Because gaff tape takes heat so well and duct tape leaves behind such awful residue, it makes sense that NASA'd use gaff tape instead. I've always wanted to go to one of those astronaut Q&As and ask them. "Excuse me, Astronaut X, now that you're done answering questions about going to the bathroom in space, I've got an actual important question: C'mon, tell us the truth- do you use duct tape or is it actually gaff tape?"
posted by barchan at 9:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by barchan at 9:20 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
My peeve is people calling duck tape duct tape - they'll even correct you! When this thing they call "duct tape" isn't even appropriate for usage on duct work (and never has been). It's duck tape because it can go in water, read up sheeple!
posted by idiopath at 9:27 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by idiopath at 9:27 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
When this thing they call "duct tape" isn't even appropriate for usage on duct work (and never has been).
OK I know this is going to sound totally bullshit and unrealistic, but a guy told me once when I was in the Coast Guard that he'd honestly seen duck/duct tape used on an actual duct one time.
For reals, you guys. He swore it happened.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:33 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
OK I know this is going to sound totally bullshit and unrealistic, but a guy told me once when I was in the Coast Guard that he'd honestly seen duck/duct tape used on an actual duct one time.
For reals, you guys. He swore it happened.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:33 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
Cowboy Bebop also has a scene (In episode 7, Heavy Metal Queen) where the main character does an impromptu suitless spacewalk with no long-term effects. I believe he also discharges his firearm in space, for extra "wait would that really work" science credit.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 9:33 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 9:33 AM on March 30, 2016
one can blow tobacco smoke out of the ear in question, which is a social accomplishment.
Also handy for showing the kids how really angry you are that they were playing with the decompression chamber again.
posted by Kabanos at 9:37 AM on March 30, 2016 [12 favorites]
Also handy for showing the kids how really angry you are that they were playing with the decompression chamber again.
posted by Kabanos at 9:37 AM on March 30, 2016 [12 favorites]
I actually can't think of a legitimate use for "duct tape".
....How many duct tape episodes did Mythbusters end up doing? Is it three or four?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:40 AM on March 30, 2016
....How many duct tape episodes did Mythbusters end up doing? Is it three or four?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:40 AM on March 30, 2016
I remember reading an old SF story in which a character is forced to make the first-ever unprotected space jump from one ship to another. People are worried he'll explode, but he doesn't, and he arrives safely. The one thing they didn't plan for, though, was the momentary exposure to millions of stars' worth of UV radiation unshielded by atmosphere, and although he survives the jump, he gets a terrible sunburn.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:41 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:41 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
I actually can't think of a legitimate use for "duct tape".
One legitimate use for duct tape.
posted by hippybear at 9:42 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
One legitimate use for duct tape.
posted by hippybear at 9:42 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Who knows what brand of "grey tape" NASA uses, but I know they also use Kapton tape for stuff (it's in lots of pictures) which is neat stuff.
This picture doesn't show a brand but it is labeled "cargo pit tape" so I assume it's something similar to these (flame retardant, aerospace grade coated-cloth tape)
posted by Wretch729 at 9:45 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
This picture doesn't show a brand but it is labeled "cargo pit tape" so I assume it's something similar to these (flame retardant, aerospace grade coated-cloth tape)
posted by Wretch729 at 9:45 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
> Cowboy Bebop also has a scene...
In Bebop, Spike holds his breath and puts in earplugs before his suitless spacewalk. As discussed in the article, holding your breath is a bad idea and will quickly rupture lungs as the air inside expands. However, discharging a firearm in the vacuum of space is fine! Bullets, much like rockets, do not require external oxygen to fire. (Firefly got this one half wrong).
posted by LiteS at 9:46 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
In Bebop, Spike holds his breath and puts in earplugs before his suitless spacewalk. As discussed in the article, holding your breath is a bad idea and will quickly rupture lungs as the air inside expands. However, discharging a firearm in the vacuum of space is fine! Bullets, much like rockets, do not require external oxygen to fire. (Firefly got this one half wrong).
posted by LiteS at 9:46 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
I remember walking through Target several years ago and seeing tape that had the name "Duck Tape", which included a number of different designs including Justin Beiber (which resulted in me using the seeming nonsense phrase "Justin Beiber Duck Tape" for several days afterward).
I never checked to be sure, but I thought at the time that it looked like normal packing tape (without the strings inside tape itself) and they used the words "Duck Tape" because that's what everyone calls it and they wouldn't notice it's not actual "Duct" tape, which I would imagine would be more expensive to manufacture.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:46 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
I never checked to be sure, but I thought at the time that it looked like normal packing tape (without the strings inside tape itself) and they used the words "Duck Tape" because that's what everyone calls it and they wouldn't notice it's not actual "Duct" tape, which I would imagine would be more expensive to manufacture.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:46 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
You laugh now, but take the cautionary tale of J.B.S. Haldane to heart.
Almost as XTREME! as Newron's gross experiments with his eye. Oh for the days when scientists were so hardcore they would tear off their own limbs to test a theory! Surely, we live in a fallen world.
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:47 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Almost as XTREME! as Newron's gross experiments with his eye. Oh for the days when scientists were so hardcore they would tear off their own limbs to test a theory! Surely, we live in a fallen world.
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:47 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Then there was the time that Edward Drinker Cope ate an apotosarus skull on a date; who does science like that anymore?
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:50 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:50 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's duck tape because it can go in water
It's called Duck tape because it was originally adhesive applied to Duck Cloth backing it says that right at the top of your own link! Wake up yourself!
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:56 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
It's called Duck tape because it was originally adhesive applied to Duck Cloth backing it says that right at the top of your own link! Wake up yourself!
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:56 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Yes! Kapton tape is fabulous stuff. It's dark yellow (polyimide) and can tolerate extreme temperatures (up to 260 C). It's also extremely smooth so great for high precision masking and so on. The adhesive can be a pain in the ass if you melt it off, though.
posted by Existential Dread at 9:57 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Existential Dread at 9:57 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's perturbing to observe someone write an article dedicated to publicly highlighting the bad science in others and watch the author casually and comfortably decide 'vacuum of space' and 'ground level planetary atmosphere' are congruently interchangeable enough to populate almost a third of the list.
posted by cat_mech at 9:58 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by cat_mech at 9:58 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
That said....
"According to etymologist Jan Freeman, the story that duct tape was originally called duck tape is "quack etymology" that has spread "due to the reach of the Internet and the appeal of a good story" but "remains a statement of faith, not fact." She notes that duct tape is not made from duck tape and there is no known primary-source evidence that it was originally referred to as duck tape. Her research does not show any use of the phrase "duck tape" in World War II and indicates that the earliest documented name for the adhesive product was "duct tape" in 1960."
so...
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:58 AM on March 30, 2016 [9 favorites]
"According to etymologist Jan Freeman, the story that duct tape was originally called duck tape is "quack etymology" that has spread "due to the reach of the Internet and the appeal of a good story" but "remains a statement of faith, not fact." She notes that duct tape is not made from duck tape and there is no known primary-source evidence that it was originally referred to as duck tape. Her research does not show any use of the phrase "duck tape" in World War II and indicates that the earliest documented name for the adhesive product was "duct tape" in 1960."
so...
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:58 AM on March 30, 2016 [9 favorites]
I remember reading an old SF story in which a character is forced to make the first-ever unprotected space jump from one ship to another. People are worried he'll explode, but he doesn't, and he arrives safely. The one thing they didn't plan for, though, was the momentary exposure to millions of stars' worth of UV radiation unshielded by atmosphere, and although he survives the jump, he gets a terrible sunburn.
I expect you're thinking of Clarke's Earthlight.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:00 AM on March 30, 2016
I expect you're thinking of Clarke's Earthlight.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:00 AM on March 30, 2016
Then there was the time that Edward Drinker Cope ate an apotosarus skull on a date; who does science like that anymore?
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:50 PM on March 30 [2 favorites +] [!]
Just checking so I can make sure I have an appropriate mental picture -- is this a typo for "on a dare" or did he really go on a date and eat a dinosaur skull? Like maybe at a fancy restaurant with all candlelight and stuff?
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:01 AM on March 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:50 PM on March 30 [2 favorites +] [!]
Just checking so I can make sure I have an appropriate mental picture -- is this a typo for "on a dare" or did he really go on a date and eat a dinosaur skull? Like maybe at a fancy restaurant with all candlelight and stuff?
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:01 AM on March 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
I'm just here to point out that "duck" is the Dutch word for "cloth" – hence the term "duck cloth" for tightly-woven heavy cotton fabric. I gather the common use of duck cloth for almost everything surrounding boats (sails, sandbags, tarps, boat covers, etc) has led to a general misunderstanding of the term "duck" and its etymology in this context ("it's called 'duck' because it is water-resistent just like actual ducks!") hence references to some semiamphibious boats as "duck boats," etc.
Now, it's very tempting to connect "duck cloth" with "duck tape," since the tape really is technically a cloth-based tape (although it bears little resemblance to actual duck cloth.) I'm not sure if there is that connection, but there's the background, anyway.
posted by koeselitz at 10:04 AM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
Now, it's very tempting to connect "duck cloth" with "duck tape," since the tape really is technically a cloth-based tape (although it bears little resemblance to actual duck cloth.) I'm not sure if there is that connection, but there's the background, anyway.
posted by koeselitz at 10:04 AM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
Just checking so I can make sure I have an appropriate mental picture
Both! Strange, but true!
(Actually, not true; Cope was never on a date in his life.)
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:08 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Both! Strange, but true!
(Actually, not true; Cope was never on a date in his life.)
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:08 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
No, it turns out it is! I did some research by thinking about what I really want to have happened and it turns out the incident was basically like that bit from Lady and the Tramp only with a guy eating a dinosaur skull instead of spaghetti.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:14 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:14 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
Cowboy Bebop also has a scene...
There's also a scene in which one character floats a lit cigarette over to another in zero G while the smoke rises in the "vertical" direction which drove me into a state of irrational fury. I'll accept hyperspace jump portals but come on dude, get your shit together.
posted by dephlogisticated at 10:15 AM on March 30, 2016 [12 favorites]
There's also a scene in which one character floats a lit cigarette over to another in zero G while the smoke rises in the "vertical" direction which drove me into a state of irrational fury. I'll accept hyperspace jump portals but come on dude, get your shit together.
posted by dephlogisticated at 10:15 AM on March 30, 2016 [12 favorites]
Duck tape: the utterance from a lazy tongue (unless one intends to tape his duck).
Duct tape, magical product with a million applications. A million, I say.
TINS: On a parking strip at Bien Hoa, I watched a Phantom pilot use duct tape to cover shrapnel holes in the vertical tail fin of his aircraft. "This'll get me back to the carrier," he said.
But this thread is otherwise useful. I shall remember to not try and hold my breath when jumping from one airlock to another without my space suit. Hmm. Maybe that can be a drinking game--an airlock crawl, so to speak.
posted by mule98J at 10:17 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Duct tape, magical product with a million applications. A million, I say.
TINS: On a parking strip at Bien Hoa, I watched a Phantom pilot use duct tape to cover shrapnel holes in the vertical tail fin of his aircraft. "This'll get me back to the carrier," he said.
But this thread is otherwise useful. I shall remember to not try and hold my breath when jumping from one airlock to another without my space suit. Hmm. Maybe that can be a drinking game--an airlock crawl, so to speak.
posted by mule98J at 10:17 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
In 2135, there will be enough orbiting-platform-housed bars that one of the challenges popular amongst the early 20somethings will be doing a suit-less airlock pub crawl between them all. This will involve waiting for various orbital trajectories to coincide to get between every bar easily, but staying for a few days in the most recent pub is a dream of everyone out on a pub crawl, right?
posted by hippybear at 10:21 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 10:21 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
I actually can't think of a legitimate use for "duct tape".
My snow shovel whose head is held to the handle by a ton of duct tape is still useful since it broke 2 years ago...
posted by numaner at 10:30 AM on March 30, 2016
My snow shovel whose head is held to the handle by a ton of duct tape is still useful since it broke 2 years ago...
posted by numaner at 10:30 AM on March 30, 2016
One legitimate use for duct tape
"sheet plastic"is almost certainly polyethylene and I can say, from experience, that duct tape does *not* stick to polyethylene, not even a little.
also, actual duct tape IMHO is unlikely to seal a vacuum leak effectively. it's made of a very thin weak vinyl with a coarse nylon grid glued to the sticky side. it would develop pin hole leaks quickly and the nylon grid means the adhesive seal is unlikely to be airtight...
duct tape is shit. it's basically weak rope for people who don't know what rope is for and can't tie knots...
posted by ennui.bz at 10:31 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
"sheet plastic"is almost certainly polyethylene and I can say, from experience, that duct tape does *not* stick to polyethylene, not even a little.
also, actual duct tape IMHO is unlikely to seal a vacuum leak effectively. it's made of a very thin weak vinyl with a coarse nylon grid glued to the sticky side. it would develop pin hole leaks quickly and the nylon grid means the adhesive seal is unlikely to be airtight...
duct tape is shit. it's basically weak rope for people who don't know what rope is for and can't tie knots...
posted by ennui.bz at 10:31 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Foil tape: actually useful for duct work. It has sealed the duct for our range hood, sealed the ducts for our gas dryer, and one day it'll likely seal some AC ducts in the attic. Don't know if it works on Mars or in space, though. I feel like stuff one buys from Lowes probably doesn't.
posted by infinitewindow at 10:31 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by infinitewindow at 10:31 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Even Steven Universe's dad (Greg Universe, natch) understands the power of duct tape.
My favorite thing about all this is that I figured out for myself, relatively recently, why you wouldn't immediately freeze when subjected to the vacuum of space, because heat needs a means of transference. You'd feel cold, but other than what you lose through evaporating fluids (saliva and sweat) heat loss would have to be through radiation.
This is such a problem that spacecraft have to be designed so that their temperature remains balanced, radiating away whatever they gain through sunlight absorption and internal sources. It's a unique problem for space travel, because ground refrigeration units work by moving heat around but ultimately create more heat in the process, and on Earth this heat is vented through escaping gas, of which you would rapidly run out in space.
posted by JHarris at 10:31 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
My favorite thing about all this is that I figured out for myself, relatively recently, why you wouldn't immediately freeze when subjected to the vacuum of space, because heat needs a means of transference. You'd feel cold, but other than what you lose through evaporating fluids (saliva and sweat) heat loss would have to be through radiation.
This is such a problem that spacecraft have to be designed so that their temperature remains balanced, radiating away whatever they gain through sunlight absorption and internal sources. It's a unique problem for space travel, because ground refrigeration units work by moving heat around but ultimately create more heat in the process, and on Earth this heat is vented through escaping gas, of which you would rapidly run out in space.
posted by JHarris at 10:31 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
If this where I mentioned that #19 and #2 shouldn't be on this list? Mars is not a vacuum.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:33 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by blue_beetle at 10:33 AM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Foil tape, on the other hand, is awesome and you can even use it on ducts.
posted by ennui.bz at 10:33 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by ennui.bz at 10:33 AM on March 30, 2016
I expect you're thinking of Clarke's Earthlight.
Having just read the synopsis on Wikipedia, I don't think so. Sorry.
posted by Faint of Butt at 10:34 AM on March 30, 2016
Having just read the synopsis on Wikipedia, I don't think so. Sorry.
posted by Faint of Butt at 10:34 AM on March 30, 2016
Sounds like someone was duck taped to the wall in high school.
posted by bongo_x at 10:35 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by bongo_x at 10:35 AM on March 30, 2016
Manco Duck is a registered trademark of Manco, Inc.!
(but sadly, no longer. ShurTech Brands, LLC just doesn't have the same...whatever)
posted by Naberius at 10:36 AM on March 30, 2016
(but sadly, no longer. ShurTech Brands, LLC just doesn't have the same...whatever)
posted by Naberius at 10:36 AM on March 30, 2016
If they're counting near-misses, there's an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in which Garak tries to climb out of an airlock because he's having a claustrophobia attack.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:39 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:39 AM on March 30, 2016
Oh, not involving space, but there should probably be an honorable mention for the decompression chamber scene in Licence to Kill.
posted by Naberius at 10:45 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Naberius at 10:45 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you hold a lungful of air you can survive in the total vacuum of space for about thirty seconds. However, what with space being the mindboggling size it is, the chances of getting picked up by another ship within those thirty seconds are two to the power of two hundred and seventy-six thousand seven hundred and nine to one against.
posted by Cookiebastard at 10:47 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by Cookiebastard at 10:47 AM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
Fortunately the closest thing we've had to this IRL is when Luca Parmitano's helmet started filling up with water during an ISS spacewalk.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 10:57 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 10:57 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
> Kapton ... The adhesive can be a pain in the ass if you melt it off, though.
Oho -- would it gum up a grinding wheel? I'm looking for some material that will melt and get sticky and gum up when heated -- something I can pull through and wrap around the links of a bike chain lock, to slightly lengthen the time required to grind through it.
The family wouldn't accept the ideas of packing skunk oil or thermite in around the chain links.
posted by hank at 10:58 AM on March 30, 2016
Oho -- would it gum up a grinding wheel? I'm looking for some material that will melt and get sticky and gum up when heated -- something I can pull through and wrap around the links of a bike chain lock, to slightly lengthen the time required to grind through it.
The family wouldn't accept the ideas of packing skunk oil or thermite in around the chain links.
posted by hank at 10:58 AM on March 30, 2016
The problem with the "realistic" scenes is that depicting vacuum exposure as not that big a deal is going to encourage kids to get themselves sucked out into space
Worse than that, it'll serve as a gateway to getting sucked into more hardcore voids
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 11:02 AM on March 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
Worse than that, it'll serve as a gateway to getting sucked into more hardcore voids
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 11:02 AM on March 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
and give The Expanse another chance after not being very impressed by the first episode. So that's a good outcome.
It finds its groove pretty early on. The plot threads really come together in the final three episodes and after that it's pretty much one OMG/WTF after another.
posted by Ber at 11:04 AM on March 30, 2016
It finds its groove pretty early on. The plot threads really come together in the final three episodes and after that it's pretty much one OMG/WTF after another.
posted by Ber at 11:04 AM on March 30, 2016
The big problem with duck tape is that when it gets old it starts to quack.
posted by TwoToneRow at 11:10 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by TwoToneRow at 11:10 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
I forgot all about that terrible film Outland. Harlan Ellison wrote a great two part shredding of that movie in two month's worth of his column in Future Live (A Starlog spinoff) but as with most of his stuff, it's not online anywhere.
posted by octothorpe at 11:16 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by octothorpe at 11:16 AM on March 30, 2016
Cookiebastard: hey, that's my phone number!
posted by hanov3r at 11:18 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by hanov3r at 11:18 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Surprised that duct/duck tape has not been truly fully tested... Mythbusters should have blasted Red Green into empty space.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:27 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:27 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Gaff tape > Duc[tk] Tape, but I think this is actually more of a function of commercial vs consumer availabliity than anything else.
In all my years, I have met only one True, Magic, Should-Be-Worshipped "Duc[tk] Tape"; the infamous Sandia National Laboratories "Yellow Tape". They have access to a certain kind of yellow mesh tape that has different properties from anything you can get at hardware stores. The glue is impossibly sticky, making it behave much like gaff tape, in that it won't slide or stretch much under lateral pressures, but unlike gaff, it's almost impossible to remove cleanly; and if you leave it on something for too long, it becomes a permanent feature.
I can't find a citation for a vendor of that stuff; and it's been ages since I've had any rolls of it, but I would expect that it also costs as much as a good roll of gaff.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 11:30 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
In all my years, I have met only one True, Magic, Should-Be-Worshipped "Duc[tk] Tape"; the infamous Sandia National Laboratories "Yellow Tape". They have access to a certain kind of yellow mesh tape that has different properties from anything you can get at hardware stores. The glue is impossibly sticky, making it behave much like gaff tape, in that it won't slide or stretch much under lateral pressures, but unlike gaff, it's almost impossible to remove cleanly; and if you leave it on something for too long, it becomes a permanent feature.
I can't find a citation for a vendor of that stuff; and it's been ages since I've had any rolls of it, but I would expect that it also costs as much as a good roll of gaff.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 11:30 AM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
I forgot all about that terrible film Outland.
But... but... Frances Sternhagen! She's unpleasant, not stupid!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:30 AM on March 30, 2016
But... but... Frances Sternhagen! She's unpleasant, not stupid!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:30 AM on March 30, 2016
One legitimate use for duct tape.
posted by hippybear at 9:42 AM on March 30 [+] [!]
This would be eponysterical, but I don't think a hippybear would attack a plane....
posted by Thoughtcrime at 11:40 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by hippybear at 9:42 AM on March 30 [+] [!]
This would be eponysterical, but I don't think a hippybear would attack a plane....
posted by Thoughtcrime at 11:40 AM on March 30, 2016
Much like your yellow tape, in the nuclear power program of the Navy we had "EB Red" which was literally nuclear-grade tape. One of my duties was controlling radioactive contamination and we used this tape along with heavy duty bright yellow plastic bags to seal up materials potentially exposed to radioactive contamination prior to disposal and for making containment enclosures around maintenance sites where the potential for radioactive contamination was a concern. Ours was made by Nashua and I've seen it for sale to civilians, but you might not like the $60 a roll price tag.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 11:43 AM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 11:43 AM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
So why shouldn't you hold your breath, exactly?
A balloon in space will very rapidly pop because the pressure inside is so much greater than the pressure outside (which is essentially zero). If you equalize the pressure by letting the air out, the balloon will remain intact. In this analogy, your lungs are the balloon. They may not pop exactly but they could stretch to the point of tissue damage.
posted by dephlogisticated at 11:51 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
A balloon in space will very rapidly pop because the pressure inside is so much greater than the pressure outside (which is essentially zero). If you equalize the pressure by letting the air out, the balloon will remain intact. In this analogy, your lungs are the balloon. They may not pop exactly but they could stretch to the point of tissue damage.
posted by dephlogisticated at 11:51 AM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
So Mr. Encylopedia, if the characters in my post-apocalyptic story had access to lots of that tape and covered their clothing in it, would it help them survive longer? Or is it just really sticky?
posted by emjaybee at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2016
posted by emjaybee at 11:54 AM on March 30, 2016
Why wouldn't duct tape seal a helmet leak?
On Mars or the Moon, the biggest problem would be dust. So, what you need to do is apply tape, remove it (grabbing the dust) then apply a new piece of tape that will then grab the helmet.
If you have enough O2 and a small enough hole, it's not a problem at all. The back cooling/air system on Apollo was the OPS, and the way it worked is you turned it on and then opened a valve that vented the suit. The OPS was just a tank of O2, CO2 remove was handled by literally dumping the air out. There were two settings. The first would give you enough air to breath. The second would give you enough air to breath *and* stay cool, but meant instead of having an hour of air, you had 30 minutes. You opened a valve to allow the air to dump out.
I was annoyed at the movie of The Martian because if that small a hole was going to empty his tanks in that short a time, that was a shit suit.
posted by eriko at 12:01 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
On Mars or the Moon, the biggest problem would be dust. So, what you need to do is apply tape, remove it (grabbing the dust) then apply a new piece of tape that will then grab the helmet.
If you have enough O2 and a small enough hole, it's not a problem at all. The back cooling/air system on Apollo was the OPS, and the way it worked is you turned it on and then opened a valve that vented the suit. The OPS was just a tank of O2, CO2 remove was handled by literally dumping the air out. There were two settings. The first would give you enough air to breath. The second would give you enough air to breath *and* stay cool, but meant instead of having an hour of air, you had 30 minutes. You opened a valve to allow the air to dump out.
I was annoyed at the movie of The Martian because if that small a hole was going to empty his tanks in that short a time, that was a shit suit.
posted by eriko at 12:01 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
I was annoyed at the movie of The Martian because if that small a hole was going to empty his tanks in that short a time, that was a shit suit.
but only a little annoyed because they generally did a very good job with that movie and I recommend it. Always science the shit out of it.
posted by eriko at 12:05 PM on March 30, 2016
but only a little annoyed because they generally did a very good job with that movie and I recommend it. Always science the shit out of it.
posted by eriko at 12:05 PM on March 30, 2016
1. Outland is a terrific movie, if that is the sort of movie you enjoy. Peter Boyle! Saberhagen! Cowboys in space! Reagan-era drug propaganda! The ultimate corrupt company town in the form of an asteroid mine!
2. I'm sure it's been remarked, but duct tape is great in that is not particularly good for any specific task, but like a good knife or a can of Water Displacement, 40th formula, it's adequate for a multitude of general tasks other than the one for which it's intended.
posted by aspersioncast at 12:17 PM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
2. I'm sure it's been remarked, but duct tape is great in that is not particularly good for any specific task, but like a good knife or a can of Water Displacement, 40th formula, it's adequate for a multitude of general tasks other than the one for which it's intended.
posted by aspersioncast at 12:17 PM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
So Mr. Encylopedia, if the characters in my post-apocalyptic story had access to lots of that tape and covered their clothing in it, would it help them survive longer? Or is it just really sticky?
I always wanted to make myself an Iron Man suit out of the stuff, but no, unfortunately the only really anti-radiation effect the tape has is that it's sticky and won't let liquids or particulates escape the container. It's useless for shielding from radiation itself. You could, theoretically, use it along with a HEPA filter to make a homemade gas mask to prevent breathing in radioactive particulates in areas of high contamination, but you could do the same thing with a painter's mask. We actually had anti-contamination suits and gloves as well (think what Homer wears in the Simpsons intro), but again those are useless against exposure to ionizing radiation, it's just good for keeping contamination off your good uniform.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:29 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
I always wanted to make myself an Iron Man suit out of the stuff, but no, unfortunately the only really anti-radiation effect the tape has is that it's sticky and won't let liquids or particulates escape the container. It's useless for shielding from radiation itself. You could, theoretically, use it along with a HEPA filter to make a homemade gas mask to prevent breathing in radioactive particulates in areas of high contamination, but you could do the same thing with a painter's mask. We actually had anti-contamination suits and gloves as well (think what Homer wears in the Simpsons intro), but again those are useless against exposure to ionizing radiation, it's just good for keeping contamination off your good uniform.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:29 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
1. This thread is relevant to my interests.
2. I love you guys.
3. Y'all keep calling it gaff tape; I grew up in a family of itinerant independent filmmakers and it was always called gaffers tape. In fact one would be checked for a high fever, closed head injury or drug use if one called it gaff tape, is that really a thing or do you all have fevers?
4. Gaffers tape is the one true tape, fuck duct tape.
5. Painters tape is v. useful in an anti-gaffers tape kind of way.
6. The Expanse is my jam!
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:42 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
2. I love you guys.
3. Y'all keep calling it gaff tape; I grew up in a family of itinerant independent filmmakers and it was always called gaffers tape. In fact one would be checked for a high fever, closed head injury or drug use if one called it gaff tape, is that really a thing or do you all have fevers?
4. Gaffers tape is the one true tape, fuck duct tape.
5. Painters tape is v. useful in an anti-gaffers tape kind of way.
6. The Expanse is my jam!
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:42 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Oh and Outland is great.
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:43 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:43 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Throwing down for duct tape in that gaff tape is obviously better but comparably really expensive.
I know this thread is about space, and dying in it, and I love that, but glad the tape discussion (relevant, right?) is happening.
Divine_Wino: I'm in theatre, where we know it is "gaffers tape," but we also call it "gaff tape" fairly interchangeably.
posted by eyesontheroad at 12:49 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
I know this thread is about space, and dying in it, and I love that, but glad the tape discussion (relevant, right?) is happening.
Divine_Wino: I'm in theatre, where we know it is "gaffers tape," but we also call it "gaff tape" fairly interchangeably.
posted by eyesontheroad at 12:49 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Divine_Wino: In my limited experience, "theater people" call it "Gaffers' Tape" and "band roadie folks" just call it "Gaff". *shrug*
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 12:52 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 12:52 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Look, there's a simple way to establish if it is indeed "Duck" tape:
First, what do you do with ducks? You float 'em.
What else floats? Wood. So ducks float because they are made of wood.
Now how do you determine if the tape is made of wood?
Well, wood burns, in much the same way that witches do.
So if the tape weighs the same as a witch, it's made of wood, and therefore…
Duck tape.
posted by Kabanos at 12:53 PM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
First, what do you do with ducks? You float 'em.
What else floats? Wood. So ducks float because they are made of wood.
Now how do you determine if the tape is made of wood?
Well, wood burns, in much the same way that witches do.
So if the tape weighs the same as a witch, it's made of wood, and therefore…
Duck tape.
posted by Kabanos at 12:53 PM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
I expect you're thinking of Clarke's Earthlight.
Having just read the synopsis on Wikipedia, I don't think so. Sorry.
I think the story is actually Take a Deep Breath from The Other Side of the Sky set of linked short stories by Arthur C Clarke. I think he reused elements of it in the novel version of Earthlight.
posted by antiwiggle at 12:58 PM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
Having just read the synopsis on Wikipedia, I don't think so. Sorry.
I think the story is actually Take a Deep Breath from The Other Side of the Sky set of linked short stories by Arthur C Clarke. I think he reused elements of it in the novel version of Earthlight.
posted by antiwiggle at 12:58 PM on March 30, 2016 [4 favorites]
if that small a hole was going to empty his tanks in that short a time, that was a shit suit.Pardon back-of-the-napkin math, but:
Bernoulli's equation says the air should have been escaping at about 400 m/s, which from a 1 cm^2 hole+cracks means 0.04 m^3/s flow rate, and for a comfortable suit air pressure that's also a good 0.04 kg/s. Given ~10 kg of air to carry, that only leaves ~4 minutes of air, and you'd be risking hypoxia in half that time.
I'd panic too.
posted by roystgnr at 1:02 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Mars is not a vacuum.
Mars average surface pressure is 0.6 kPa, Earth is 101 kPa. Technically that's a medium vacuum, though, in the lab we usually just refer to anything below 10-2 torr as a rough vacuum. For the most part it's carbon dioxide as well. You'd certainly experience similar phase change effects (water freezing by evaporation very rapidly) and physiological problems to the better than ultra-high vacuum of space, but generally you would not get the weird UHV+ effects like contact welds.
It would still be pretty darn bad to take your helmet off on Mars.
posted by bonehead at 1:34 PM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
Mars average surface pressure is 0.6 kPa, Earth is 101 kPa. Technically that's a medium vacuum, though, in the lab we usually just refer to anything below 10-2 torr as a rough vacuum. For the most part it's carbon dioxide as well. You'd certainly experience similar phase change effects (water freezing by evaporation very rapidly) and physiological problems to the better than ultra-high vacuum of space, but generally you would not get the weird UHV+ effects like contact welds.
It would still be pretty darn bad to take your helmet off on Mars.
posted by bonehead at 1:34 PM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
So why shouldn't you hold your breath, exactly?
A balloon in space will very rapidly pop because the pressure inside is so much greater than the pressure outside (which is essentially zero). If you equalize the pressure by letting the air out, the balloon will remain intact. In this analogy, your lungs are the balloon. They may not pop exactly but they could stretch to the point of tissue damage.
Thanks! But I can hold my breath, right? So the balloon - my lungs - are in a contained space which will not expand. So that doesn't seem to follow...?
posted by alasdair at 1:43 PM on March 30, 2016
A balloon in space will very rapidly pop because the pressure inside is so much greater than the pressure outside (which is essentially zero). If you equalize the pressure by letting the air out, the balloon will remain intact. In this analogy, your lungs are the balloon. They may not pop exactly but they could stretch to the point of tissue damage.
Thanks! But I can hold my breath, right? So the balloon - my lungs - are in a contained space which will not expand. So that doesn't seem to follow...?
posted by alasdair at 1:43 PM on March 30, 2016
ennui.biz: Stop buying your duct tape at the dollar store maybe? Or like, try importing duct tape from a country where they allow the sale of proper duct tape? Because you should be able to use that shit to temporarily patch up a bullet hole in a person, among other things, if you're using it correctly, which I imagine must be pretty hard to screw up, regardless of skill level. 3M seems to know their shit when it comes to adhesives, maybe look for their logo? Just a thought. I've never used duct tape in my life and ended up thinking "geez why doesn't this stuff work any good??" so I'm assuming its user error or a vast regional difference that's led to your unfortunate lived experience with the worlds most useful tape product.
For a good introduction to the myriad of uses for proper duct tape, please refer to the (historical) Canadian television series The Red Green Show
posted by some loser at 1:52 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
For a good introduction to the myriad of uses for proper duct tape, please refer to the (historical) Canadian television series The Red Green Show
posted by some loser at 1:52 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
From here (an old sci.space archive):
Roth includes a report of the autopsy of the victim of a slightly longer explosive decompression incident:
"Immediately following rapid decompression, it was noted that he began to cough moderately. Very shortly after this he was seen to lose consciousness, and the picture described by the physicians on duty was that the patient remained deeply cyanotic, totally unresponsive and flaccid during the 2-3 minutes [to repressurise the altitude chamber] down to ground level.... "Manual artificial respiration was begun immediately... The patient at no time breathed spontaneously; however, at the moment ground level was reached he was seen to give a few gasps. these were very irregular and only two or three in number. ... "The conclusion of the [autopsy] report was as follows: "The major pathologic changes as outlined above are consistent with asphyxia. It is felt that the underlying cause of death in this case may be attributed to acute cardio-respiratory failure, secondary to bilateral pneumothorax..."
That last, pneumothorax, is doctor-speak for a collapsed lung.
Exposure seems to be completely reversible for the first 15 seconds or so, perhaps even as much as 90 seconds, though you'd almost certainly be unconscious well before that.
posted by bonehead at 1:57 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Roth includes a report of the autopsy of the victim of a slightly longer explosive decompression incident:
"Immediately following rapid decompression, it was noted that he began to cough moderately. Very shortly after this he was seen to lose consciousness, and the picture described by the physicians on duty was that the patient remained deeply cyanotic, totally unresponsive and flaccid during the 2-3 minutes [to repressurise the altitude chamber] down to ground level.... "Manual artificial respiration was begun immediately... The patient at no time breathed spontaneously; however, at the moment ground level was reached he was seen to give a few gasps. these were very irregular and only two or three in number. ... "The conclusion of the [autopsy] report was as follows: "The major pathologic changes as outlined above are consistent with asphyxia. It is felt that the underlying cause of death in this case may be attributed to acute cardio-respiratory failure, secondary to bilateral pneumothorax..."
That last, pneumothorax, is doctor-speak for a collapsed lung.
Exposure seems to be completely reversible for the first 15 seconds or so, perhaps even as much as 90 seconds, though you'd almost certainly be unconscious well before that.
posted by bonehead at 1:57 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
The problem with the "realistic" scenes is that depicting vacuum exposure as not that big a deal is going to encourage kids to get themselves sucked out into space
yes we need to consider what message we are sending
posted by Sebmojo at 2:32 PM on March 30, 2016
But I can hold my breath, right? So the balloon - my lungs - are in a contained space which will not expand. So that doesn't seem to follow...
Your ribs may be fairly rigid, but below them, your diaphragm and viscera are not. So if you held your breath, the overpressure would force the dIaphragm down and cause a ruptured lung.
More information here on human exposure to vacuum.
posted by happyroach at 2:39 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Your ribs may be fairly rigid, but below them, your diaphragm and viscera are not. So if you held your breath, the overpressure would force the dIaphragm down and cause a ruptured lung.
More information here on human exposure to vacuum.
posted by happyroach at 2:39 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Thanks! But I can hold my breath, right? So the balloon - my lungs - are in a contained space which will not expand. So that doesn't seem to follow...?
Your lungs aren't a rigid structure like a spaceship. Your diaphragm expands and contracts your lungs like a bellows and the rib cage flexes at the sternum. So external forces (or lack thereof) can change the pressure in your lungs.
If you hold your breath and dive deep underwater, the amount of air in your lungs will not change but the pressure from the surrounding water will compress your chest cavity, decreasing the volume of your lungs (Boyle's law). That's why scuba divers need to breath pressurized gas--to counteract the pressure of the water.
The opposite happens in a vacuum. The lack of atmospheric pressure (~15 psi) causes your lungs to expand, even if no air enters or leaves. If your lungs over-expand by more than ~10%, it can cause injury, aka pulmonary barotrauma.
posted by dephlogisticated at 2:39 PM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
Your lungs aren't a rigid structure like a spaceship. Your diaphragm expands and contracts your lungs like a bellows and the rib cage flexes at the sternum. So external forces (or lack thereof) can change the pressure in your lungs.
If you hold your breath and dive deep underwater, the amount of air in your lungs will not change but the pressure from the surrounding water will compress your chest cavity, decreasing the volume of your lungs (Boyle's law). That's why scuba divers need to breath pressurized gas--to counteract the pressure of the water.
The opposite happens in a vacuum. The lack of atmospheric pressure (~15 psi) causes your lungs to expand, even if no air enters or leaves. If your lungs over-expand by more than ~10%, it can cause injury, aka pulmonary barotrauma.
posted by dephlogisticated at 2:39 PM on March 30, 2016 [6 favorites]
So, uh, don't do it, mkaaay?
posted by happyroach at 3:27 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by happyroach at 3:27 PM on March 30, 2016
I call it "space tape".
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:36 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:36 PM on March 30, 2016
4. Gaffers tape is the one true tape, fuck duct tape.
5. Painters tape is v. useful in an anti-gaffers tape kind of way.
Important tapes to have on hand:
a) scotch tape for paper
b) packing tape for boxes
c) some kind of cloth-like tape for general purposes (gaffer's, duct, EB Red, whatever floats your boat)
d) painter's/masking tape for temporary purposes and labeling
e) electrical tape for adding a little bit of thickness to something, or just general purposes whenever you want something inbetween the strengths of masking and duct-type tape
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:47 PM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
5. Painters tape is v. useful in an anti-gaffers tape kind of way.
Important tapes to have on hand:
a) scotch tape for paper
b) packing tape for boxes
c) some kind of cloth-like tape for general purposes (gaffer's, duct, EB Red, whatever floats your boat)
d) painter's/masking tape for temporary purposes and labeling
e) electrical tape for adding a little bit of thickness to something, or just general purposes whenever you want something inbetween the strengths of masking and duct-type tape
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:47 PM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
f) all Rush mix tape and 2-liter bottle of Shasta for defeat of alien invasion
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:30 PM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 4:30 PM on March 30, 2016 [8 favorites]
G) glow-tape simply because that shit is cool
(One of the perks of being a stage manager was getting to play with glow-tape, which was a whole bunch of that plastic glow-in-the-dark sticker stuff in tape form, that glows after it's been exposed to light for a while. In theater it's used to help temporarily-blind-from-stage-lights actors find their way backstage and around obstacles during blackouts - you put dots of it on edges of door jambs and the backs of chairs and such. I got so into it that I joked that you could land planes on the set when I was done.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:49 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
(One of the perks of being a stage manager was getting to play with glow-tape, which was a whole bunch of that plastic glow-in-the-dark sticker stuff in tape form, that glows after it's been exposed to light for a while. In theater it's used to help temporarily-blind-from-stage-lights actors find their way backstage and around obstacles during blackouts - you put dots of it on edges of door jambs and the backs of chairs and such. I got so into it that I joked that you could land planes on the set when I was done.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:49 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Re: Glow tape or Illumination tape
If you take illum tape and put a piece of acetate or some sort of laminate on it, you can write on it with alcohol pens and then read it in the dark, if you're in a situation where you can't use a flashlight.
posted by A Bad Catholic at 5:07 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you take illum tape and put a piece of acetate or some sort of laminate on it, you can write on it with alcohol pens and then read it in the dark, if you're in a situation where you can't use a flashlight.
posted by A Bad Catholic at 5:07 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's gaffer's tape because the gaffer is the head electrician on a set, not gaff which is a fishing spear, butcher's hook, or a spar on a sailing boat.
posted by walrus at 5:38 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by walrus at 5:38 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
dephlogisticated: "The opposite happens in a vacuum. The lack of atmospheric pressure (~15 psi) causes your lungs to expand, even if no air enters or leaves. If your lungs over-expand by more than ~10%, it can cause injury, aka pulmonary barotrauma."
Okay, so the difference between internal and external pressures would cause big problems. If they were equal, as they are in an environment with an atmosphere, you wouldn't have any problems. However, given that the ribs and diaphragm have some pressure resistance capabilities, just not enough to hold up to the pressure differential between "vacuum" on one side and "full lungs" on the other, would it make sense then to say that you should exhale a bit, but you wouldn't need to exhale completely? In other words, you could hold just a little breath? And if that were the case, could you slow down the deoxygenation of your blood by keeping just enough breath in your lungs to prevent popping, at the one end, and "unlimited venting of oxygen" at the other end?
posted by Bugbread at 6:07 PM on March 30, 2016
Okay, so the difference between internal and external pressures would cause big problems. If they were equal, as they are in an environment with an atmosphere, you wouldn't have any problems. However, given that the ribs and diaphragm have some pressure resistance capabilities, just not enough to hold up to the pressure differential between "vacuum" on one side and "full lungs" on the other, would it make sense then to say that you should exhale a bit, but you wouldn't need to exhale completely? In other words, you could hold just a little breath? And if that were the case, could you slow down the deoxygenation of your blood by keeping just enough breath in your lungs to prevent popping, at the one end, and "unlimited venting of oxygen" at the other end?
posted by Bugbread at 6:07 PM on March 30, 2016
c) some kind of cloth-like tape for general purposes (gaffer's, duct, EB Red, whatever floats your boat)
Gaffer's tape is designed to stick and hold, then release cleanly.
Fabric based "duct" tape does not release quickly. It is also remarkable in its complete uselessness at sealing ducts. It's useful stuff, but using it as gaffer's tape is a *bad* idea.
True metal backed duct tape doesn't release cleanly either, but unlike the fabric kind, proper duct tape is idea for sealing ducts.
200mph tape is fabric tape with damn near nuclear adhesive. This is what you use to tape your race car back together with.
True speed tape is like metal duct tape, except the metal backing is aircraft grade aluminum and the adhesive is incredibly strong. You can literally repair holes in airplanes with it. Well, small ones.
Conflating this is a problem. You'll either have the tape fail, damage the surface, spend way too much money, or some combination of those, if you pick the wrong one.
posted by eriko at 6:16 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Gaffer's tape is designed to stick and hold, then release cleanly.
Fabric based "duct" tape does not release quickly. It is also remarkable in its complete uselessness at sealing ducts. It's useful stuff, but using it as gaffer's tape is a *bad* idea.
True metal backed duct tape doesn't release cleanly either, but unlike the fabric kind, proper duct tape is idea for sealing ducts.
200mph tape is fabric tape with damn near nuclear adhesive. This is what you use to tape your race car back together with.
True speed tape is like metal duct tape, except the metal backing is aircraft grade aluminum and the adhesive is incredibly strong. You can literally repair holes in airplanes with it. Well, small ones.
Conflating this is a problem. You'll either have the tape fail, damage the surface, spend way too much money, or some combination of those, if you pick the wrong one.
posted by eriko at 6:16 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
The article talks with a certain absolutism about what is correct and incorrect, but I wonder - have anyone ever done any actual "live-being-in-vacuum" experiments? Not that I think the predictions are incorrect, but have they been verified experimentally?
posted by ymgve at 6:40 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by ymgve at 6:40 PM on March 30, 2016
You might have trouble getting the institution to sign off on explosively decompressing animals.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:33 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:33 PM on March 30, 2016
For some reason I know it as Gaffa Tape. Mind you, I grew up down the road from Kate Bush, so it may be regional.
posted by inpHilltr8r at 7:56 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by inpHilltr8r at 7:56 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
have anyone ever done any actual "live-being-in-vacuum" experiments?
Yes, people have put animals in vacuum or near-vacuum going back centuries.
Also, have been accidentally exposed to near-vacuum before and survived -- one survivor remembers feeling his saliva boil as he passed out. So we know exactly what happens when you briefly expose humans to near-vacuum, and the answer is that they pass out but that's about it.
And this is how Viktor Patsayev, Vladislav Volkov, and Georgi Dobrovolski were killed -- a valve in their Soyuz opened in near-vacuum during reentry and evacuated the ship at *looks* 168km altitude. Patsayev was found, IIRC, out of his seat and with injuries consistent with him trying to close the valve again. Anyway, we know exactly what it looks like when real live human beings are killed by exposure to the vacuum of space.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:00 PM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
Yes, people have put animals in vacuum or near-vacuum going back centuries.
Also, have been accidentally exposed to near-vacuum before and survived -- one survivor remembers feeling his saliva boil as he passed out. So we know exactly what happens when you briefly expose humans to near-vacuum, and the answer is that they pass out but that's about it.
And this is how Viktor Patsayev, Vladislav Volkov, and Georgi Dobrovolski were killed -- a valve in their Soyuz opened in near-vacuum during reentry and evacuated the ship at *looks* 168km altitude. Patsayev was found, IIRC, out of his seat and with injuries consistent with him trying to close the valve again. Anyway, we know exactly what it looks like when real live human beings are killed by exposure to the vacuum of space.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:00 PM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
not that girl: "I did think that the blurbs had too much "This wouldn't happen!" without enough explanation of why not, or what would happen instead."
The article linked right above #19 (What Really Happens When You Get Blown Out of an Airlock) provides that explanation. The two really should be read as a set.
posted by Bugbread at 8:26 PM on March 30, 2016
The article linked right above #19 (What Really Happens When You Get Blown Out of an Airlock) provides that explanation. The two really should be read as a set.
posted by Bugbread at 8:26 PM on March 30, 2016
See: Alexey Arkhipovich Leonov, the cosmonaut who made a spacewalk in 1965. After he left the airlock, his suit ballooned and he couldn't get back in through the airlock door.
See, this is where your really need George Clooney. But never mind; he just let some air out of the suit so he could fit. I'm guessing he wasn't real thrilled when the ground crew came up with that fix, but it seems to have worked.
So, how low was his air pressure? Did his eyeballs pop out? Did his lungs turn inside out?
Stay tuned.
posted by mule98J at 8:43 PM on March 30, 2016
See, this is where your really need George Clooney. But never mind; he just let some air out of the suit so he could fit. I'm guessing he wasn't real thrilled when the ground crew came up with that fix, but it seems to have worked.
So, how low was his air pressure? Did his eyeballs pop out? Did his lungs turn inside out?
Stay tuned.
posted by mule98J at 8:43 PM on March 30, 2016
I suppose Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy didn't make the list, because getting picked up by a passing spaceship is just that improbable? I feel like I'd have put than on and made the list 20 items, because of all the things that definitely won't happen when you get thrown into space, that will not happen most of all.
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 8:47 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 8:47 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
So is EB Red the stuff they covered up their windows with in Pulse, because maybe the filmmakers thought it was radiation proof?
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:59 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:59 PM on March 30, 2016
I think the story is actually Take a Deep Breath from The Other Side of the Sky set of linked short stories by Arthur C Clarke. I think he reused elements of it in the novel version of Earthlight.
Aha! I'll bet that's right.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:40 AM on March 31, 2016
Aha! I'll bet that's right.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:40 AM on March 31, 2016
Astronauts Have Done So, So Much With Duct Tape And Electrical Tape
Two types of tape are especially common in astronauts’ toolboxes. The first is grey tape, which is just astronaut-lingo for duct tape. The second is Kapton tape (aka polyimide tape), which is basically electrical tape but better. You can find either type of tape for sale at hardware stores here on Earth, but the tapes that astronauts bring to space are tested extensively to ensure they don’t produce any off-gases (problematic, if you’re in an enclosed space), or degrade in the harsh exterior of the habitat.
Each space agency has its own preference of tape. NASA, for its part, keeps the exact brands it purchases secret, so as to avoid the appearance of sponsorship.
And also: Moondust and Duct Tape:
[Apollo 17 Astronaut] Cernan: "Okay. I can't say I'm very adept at putting fenders back on. But I sure don't want to start without it. I'm just going to put a couple of pieces of good old-fashioned American gray tape on it...(and) see whether we can't make sure it stays."
In spite of his thick gloves, Cernan managed to unroll and tear off the needed pieces, but moondust foiled his first repair:
Cernan: "…good old-fashioned gray tape doesn't want to stick very well." (At a post flight briefing he explained: "Because there was dust on everything, once you got a piece of tape off the roll, the first thing the tape stuck to was dust; and then it didn't stick to anything else.")
His second attempt succeeded, however. "I am done!" crowed Cernan. "If that fender stays on ... I'd like some sort of mending award." And with that, they were off.
posted by bonehead at 12:13 PM on March 31, 2016
Two types of tape are especially common in astronauts’ toolboxes. The first is grey tape, which is just astronaut-lingo for duct tape. The second is Kapton tape (aka polyimide tape), which is basically electrical tape but better. You can find either type of tape for sale at hardware stores here on Earth, but the tapes that astronauts bring to space are tested extensively to ensure they don’t produce any off-gases (problematic, if you’re in an enclosed space), or degrade in the harsh exterior of the habitat.
Each space agency has its own preference of tape. NASA, for its part, keeps the exact brands it purchases secret, so as to avoid the appearance of sponsorship.
And also: Moondust and Duct Tape:
[Apollo 17 Astronaut] Cernan: "Okay. I can't say I'm very adept at putting fenders back on. But I sure don't want to start without it. I'm just going to put a couple of pieces of good old-fashioned American gray tape on it...(and) see whether we can't make sure it stays."
In spite of his thick gloves, Cernan managed to unroll and tear off the needed pieces, but moondust foiled his first repair:
Cernan: "…good old-fashioned gray tape doesn't want to stick very well." (At a post flight briefing he explained: "Because there was dust on everything, once you got a piece of tape off the roll, the first thing the tape stuck to was dust; and then it didn't stick to anything else.")
His second attempt succeeded, however. "I am done!" crowed Cernan. "If that fender stays on ... I'd like some sort of mending award." And with that, they were off.
posted by bonehead at 12:13 PM on March 31, 2016
I have a question about firing a gun in space. Wouldn't you fly backwards uncontrollably unless you were extremely well attached to something?
Also, The Expanse is fantastic but my big pet peeve about it is that there are a couple of times that liquid or dust is shown to fall with a coriolis effect on the asteroid stations, but there are numerous scenes with creepy liquid dripping straight down. On the other hand, the only reason it bothers me is that they went out of their way to try to do it right on the other occasions.
posted by Missense Mutation at 9:14 AM on April 1, 2016
Also, The Expanse is fantastic but my big pet peeve about it is that there are a couple of times that liquid or dust is shown to fall with a coriolis effect on the asteroid stations, but there are numerous scenes with creepy liquid dripping straight down. On the other hand, the only reason it bothers me is that they went out of their way to try to do it right on the other occasions.
posted by Missense Mutation at 9:14 AM on April 1, 2016
Outland is High Noon in space.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:41 AM on April 1, 2016
posted by kirkaracha at 10:41 AM on April 1, 2016
I have a question about firing a gun in space. Wouldn't you fly backwards uncontrollably unless you were extremely well attached to something?
No, for the same reason that you don't go flying backwards when you shoot a gun. Guns throw small objects at high speed, so the overall force isn't that great. To quote Atomic Rockets:
posted by happyroach at 1:25 PM on April 1, 2016
No, for the same reason that you don't go flying backwards when you shoot a gun. Guns throw small objects at high speed, so the overall force isn't that great. To quote Atomic Rockets:
One might think that the recoil would be uncontrollable in free fall, but both Dr. Schilling and Erik Max Francis are of the opinion that such recoil is vastly overrated. In a firefight, you'd be trying to keep behind some cover (or you'd be dead) so you'd be braced in some fashion. Any bracing at all would take care of the recoil. Erik (working with somebody else's figures) calculates that the recoil will spin you at the minuscule rate of a few degrees per second. (bullet momentum 4 kg m/s, fired from 40 cm from the center of the axis, the angular momentum imparted to the marksman is thus 1.6 kg m2/s. Divide that by marksman's moment of inertia, and you get an angular speed of 0.05 rad/s, or less than 3 deg/s.) If you wanted to use your handgun for propulsion, Trip the Space Parasite calculates that a .45 automatic will give 0.12 m/s of deltaV to a 50 kg person.TL:DR: no, because you'll probably wasn't cover anyway, and even if you don't, the result is going to more like a slow reputation, then spinning wildly.
posted by happyroach at 1:25 PM on April 1, 2016
Could you not have _some_ air in your lungs? I mean, your lungs are in a ribcage under layers of muscle, and you can just as easily "hold your breath" with a tongue lock. If skin provides some degree of pressure suit, why doesn't that help the lungs?
Not that we necessarily could process air or oxygen properly in such circumstances.
posted by effugas at 9:30 PM on April 1, 2016
Not that we necessarily could process air or oxygen properly in such circumstances.
posted by effugas at 9:30 PM on April 1, 2016
Skin is tough, alveoli are very delicate, so they are likely to tear if put under the same kind of expansion pressure. They rip, air enters the chest cavity, pneumothorax happens.
posted by tavella at 1:41 AM on April 2, 2016
posted by tavella at 1:41 AM on April 2, 2016
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posted by The Card Cheat at 7:51 AM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]