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08-03-2011, 12:16 PM
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 My Rank: MAJOR Poster Rank:186 Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 8,081 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 42 Post(s)
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Oxygen Molecules Found in Space
Possible to Breathe in Space? Oxygen Molecules Found Updated: Wednesday, 03 Aug 2011, 9:52 AM CDT Published : Wednesday, 03 Aug 2011, 9:48 AM CDT (EndPlay Staff Reports) - Researchers working at the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory might be able to breathe easier now. According to NASA , the team has identified oxygen molecules in deep space. The observatory's high-powered telescope pinpointed the molecules in the Orion nebula, roughly 1,500 light years away from the Earth's surface. Though single atoms of oxygen are common in space, the find is unique because it is molecular oxygen. A majority of the air we breathe on Earth is molecular oxygen. Bill Danchi and Paul Goldsmith, both NASA scientists with ties to the space telescope, believe more molecular oxygen might be hiding in the ice that covers molecular dust. "Oxygen is the third most common element in the universe and its molecular form must be abundant in space," said Danchi, Herschel program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Though the molecular oxygen is similar to what we inhale on Earth, don't count on seeing astronauts taking spacewalks sans equipment anytime soon. According to information from HowStuffWorks.com , this is what would happen should you try to breathe in space: "Because there is no air pressure to keep your blood and body fluids in a liquid state, the fluids would "boil." Because the "boiling process" would cause them to lose heat energy rapidly, the fluids would freeze before they were evaporated totally." This process could take between 30 seconds and up to a minute. Body tissues – like your skin, heart and other internal organs – would likely expand due to the boiling fluids. Should you survive those two factors, you'd also be plagued with some other problems, including: A barrage from micrometeoroids and debris. Extreme temperature changes; temperatures in space can reach up to 240 degrees in direct sunlight or minus-148 degrees in the shade. High exposure to radiation from cosmic rays and solar winds. Read more: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpps/new...#ixzz1Tz1Mi8Xx |
One step closer to having Futurama be a reality!
