Dead Bodies in Space

[AKONI]

All right, from everything I've read if you were exposed in space your blood vessels would burst from the sudden rushing pressure of air leaving your lungs and your blood would boil, BUT...

What would the decomposing process be like? I've got a book called, DEATH TO DUST by Kenneth V . Iserson, MD. Excellent read because it's also very entertaining. The author in the course of his research said NASA doesn't really want to speak about death in space because well,.. it's not a very good PR topic so his information in this area was limited.

Anyway, there are no insects in space so that part of going back to the dust would be removed, as would moisture in the air and whatnot. I'm wondering about as much of the process as possible, from the break down of tissue to the effects on the skin to the soft tissue of the eye.

Does anyone know what the process would be like, and would it be possible for the body to orbit the Earth if NASA couldn't retrieve the body? And if the body did return to the Earth would it burn up on reentry? I know that might sound a little too simple, but I don't know if the rate of the fall would be fast enough for the body to be consumed.

[cable]

On 2002-12-28 10:49, AKONI wrote:


Anyway, there are no insects in space so that part of going back to the dust would be removed, as would moisture in the air and whatnot. I'm wondering about as much of the process as possible, from the break down of tissue to the effects on the skin to the soft tissue of the eye.

most of our body is H2O. that for sure will evaporate. also for other light liquids.
that lead to a sort of an egyptian mummy [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Does anyone know what the process would be like, and would it be possible for the body to orbit the Earth if NASA couldn't retrieve the body? And if the body did return to the Earth would it burn up on reentry? I know that might sound a little too simple, but I don't know if the rate of the fall would be fast enough for the body to be consumed.

using the Shuttle, NASA may retrieve whatever u want. forget about reentry. but, why retrieving ? just keep it there in space for a better conservation ... and a better resurrection [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Comixx]

I'm thinking that, after the explosive decompression and the subsequent boiling off of the body's liquids, the soft flesh would begin to ablate away quite quickly. If the body was in a medium altitude orbit and didnt encounter the atmosphere it would essentially fade away to dust. If it's orbit decayed and it entered the atmosphere I think it would be consumed by fire almost instantly. As for reaching a high enough velocity to burn up, just think about the fact that the falling stars you see are commonly no larger than grains of sand, and they manage to burn up...

Of course, I dont know any of this for sure, I'm just deducing...

edit: fixed bad grammar
_________________
Dont ask me about math...I'm an artist...I just like looking up at all the pretty lights... [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Comixx on 2002-12-28 12:27 ]</font>

[brianok]

I found this in the Q & A section of discover.com.
----------------------------------------



Question:
Would an unprotected body decay in space?


Russell B. Rayman, the executive director of the Aerospace Medical Association in Alexandria, Virginia, responds:

A body drifting in space would probably be in a desiccated state similar to that of the mummified bodies people sometimes find in the desert. In space there is no humidity and no microorganisms which, in combination, cause decomposition of human tissue on Earth. The very low temperatures in space would provide further protection for tissue-unless the body were close to the sun, in which case the intense radiation would incinerate it. Therefore, an unsuited human body in space would likely remain recognizable for a long while, although there would be extreme drying because moisture from the body would escape readily into the vacuum. Over time, it is likely that micro-meteors would strike the body. A rock the size of a grain of sand would hit with the force of a bullet; enough hits and the body would disintegrate. Another potential degrading factor is exposure to high levels of radiation and energetic subatomic particles. In this case we do not know what the long-term effects would be.

[irony]

Sounds like the only way to know for sure is to experiment.

Any volunteers? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

(Do excuse my morbid sense of humour)

[Mainframes]

On 2002-12-28 12:14, irony wrote:
Sounds like the only way to know for sure is to experiment.

Any volunteers? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

(Do excuse my morbid sense of humour)

A tempting offer but I think i'll pass....

[TriangleMan]

Any volunteers? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

If you donate your body to science maybe you could ask to be part of this kind of experiment. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Kelfazin]

I can see it now, a whole farm of bodies in orbit while scientists study the decay rate. The bodies would have to be studied in orbit of course. If you capture them and bring em back you ruin the experiment. I'd volunteer to be one of the doctors that get shot up there to study the decay-farm..just for the chance to go into space [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Lunar cemetaries would be kinda kewl. I prefer to be cremated. But then, nobody's offered to bury me on the moon yet ;P

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kelfazin on 2002-12-28 18:00 ]</font>

[Comixx]

We could use pig corpses...their organs are similar to humans' in size and makeup...






Pigs in space.

[irony]

Pigs in space.

Sorry, it's been done. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[cable]

Another potential degrading factor is exposure to high levels of radiation and energetic subatomic particles. In this case we do not know what the long-term effects would be.

20 years ago, Ramses II mummuy was brought in Paris for irradiation. french nuclear scientists worked on it in order to prevent it from further decomposition ...
SO, if the irradiated body in space is brought down to earth, it's going to be in same situation as Ramses II after irradiation. right ??

[AKONI]

Thanks! I appreciate all of the responses.

[Valiant Dancer]

On 2002-12-28 12:14, irony wrote:
Sounds like the only way to know for sure is to experiment.

Any volunteers? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

(Do excuse my morbid sense of humour)

Can we "volunteer" Ralph Rene or Bart Sibrel?

[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[irony]

Can we "volunteer" Ralph Rene or Bart Sibrel?

Actually, I think instead that they should be put on the next mission to the Moon.

Note that I said 'to' the Moon. We don't have to bring them back.

[JackC]

Can you say "Freeze-drying"?

I tend to think the initial effect would be a well-preserved corpse - but with the sand-blasting from micro-meteorites as has been noted, it probably would not last too long.

Although, if suited, it could retain integrity until orbital decay - at which point, it surely would burn up more or less completely.

Orbital retrieval would be no doubt uncomplicated. Should the body be returned, it would no doubt resemble some well-preserved mummies.

And I nominate Bart for scientific testing purposes. Then we can all claim it didn't really happen. Or he didn't really exist, or something.

Jack

[Under Dog]

Hmmm, well our blood vessels don't explode when exposed to a perfect vacuum we just balloon up. Remember, the cells in our body aren't the only tissues we have. Our vessels are also tissue that’s under earths pressure and also have the ability to expand. We would be proportionally inflated aside from our bones. And our blood doesn't boil, yes, their is no shielding from the sun in space but space doesn't have the greenhouse gases necessary to maintain the temperature around an object to a point where our blood will boil. The heat just escapes in all directions because their isn't enough matter of any sort to keep it in place. We would probably get sun burned really badly. It's been theorized that you could actually survive in a perfect vacuum for a few seconds.

Space is a vacuum, no air, nothing for the bacteria in your body to breath so they all die. You would be perfectly preserved for all of time and look exactly like you looked at the moment of your death, indefinitely.

[Ghost.X]

Hmm, this is a very old thread. But I came across it when I was googling this issue. I have interest becaue i'm thinking about writting a science fiction story on something that includes this. I asked my physics teacher, and he said it would not decay, but it would become seriosuly dehydrated. I don't agree with Under Dog for the body being perfectly preserved. It won't decompose, but I think the featuers will change, and it may look like a dried up raisin, much like a mummy, because the moisture takes up mass, so the body will kind of deflate. However, if the body was no where near a star or any other source of heat, then yes, I think it will be perfectly preserved because the moisture will freeze, and become solid. But maybe the freezing will cause the body to expand or burst like water frozen in a starphone cup?

[publiusr]

A person standing up/leaning on the moon pretty much turns to goo inside his boots unless he falls over.

[dayll]

Regarding the fate of a body in space - A C Clarke could probably give a definitive answer to that and if not just call my wife - she knows everything. Dayll

[mugaliens]

There have been enough experiments on the human body over the years to know that:

1. One's blood doesn't instantly boil

2. The time of useful consciousness is between 7 and 11 seconds.

3. One could probably survive up to around 2 to 3 minutes of exposure to pure vacuum (after than, the brain begins to die due to O2 deprivation).

4. Sunlight is strong enough in Earth's orbit to prevent the body from freezing before all the fluids had boiled off. The Apollo 13 astronauts were cold because their spacecraft was painted with a highly reflective color (white). Had it been painted black, they would have been toasty!

5. The body would oxidize in the solar wind and turn a very nasty black.

6. It would become very prone to crumbling (brittle) and micrometeorites would slowly erode it until it was scattered dust.

7. If we really wanted to conduct this as an experiment, why not just hang a dead mouse outside a window of the ISS on a string and find out?

[Amber Robot]

And our blood doesn't boil, yes, their is no shielding from the sun in space but space doesn't have the greenhouse gases necessary to maintain the temperature around an object to a point where our blood will boil.

Boiling temperature of a liquid will also be dependent on pressure, so you don't necessarily need high temperature to get a liquid to boil in space.

[Ilya]

Boiling temperature of a liquid will also be dependent on pressure, so you don't necessarily need high temperature to get a liquid to boil in space.

At typical human blood pressure boiling temperature of water is above 37 C. So the blood will not start to boil until after the heart had stopped.

[grant hutchison]

Is there some reason we are resuscitating a thread that started seven years ago, and enjoyed a brief revival a year ago?

At typical human blood pressure boiling temperature of water is above 37 C. So the blood will not start to boil until after the heart had stopped.

The saturated vapour pressure of water is 47 mmHg at 37ºC. So under ambient vacuum, blood won't boil in the systemic arterial circulation, but it will in the capillaries, venous circulation, right heart and pulmonary vasculature.

Grant Hutchison

[Neverfly]

Is there some reason we are resuscitating a thread that started seven years ago, and enjoyed a brief revival a year ago?

It may be because a new poster started a new thread asking what happens to a body in space a day or so ago.

[grant hutchison]

It may be because a new poster started a new thread asking what happens to a body in space a day or so ago.

Ah, thanks: it's here.
It's probably 01101001's fault, for searching up antique threads.

Grant Hutchison

[Kaptain K]

Another process that resurrects old threads is a newbie doing a "Google search"!

[Neverfly]

I haven't figured out what the big deal is after all this time.

These threads are not closed. Just because they drifted to the back and stopped getting attention- doesn't mean they can never recieve attention again.

Some of the most interesting threads I've read are pretty old- and they way I found them was by folks resurrecting them or mentioning them in another thread.

[Eroica]

Some bones can survive for a long time in space:

Space Bone

(Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

[Tacitus]

We've had body farms for quite some time now. They provide valuable forensic clues as how bodies decompose under varied and controlled circumstances. I would wager that a "body farm in space" will almost certainly exist one day, once we have permanent off-world colonies. Perhaps a moon-based body farm will be the first such facility.

[Ilya]

Is there some reason we are resuscitating a thread that started seven years ago, and enjoyed a brief revival a year ago?

The saturated vapour pressure of water is 47 mmHg at 37ºC. So under ambient vacuum, blood won't boil in the systemic arterial circulation, but it will in the capillaries, venous circulation, right heart and pulmonary vasculature.

Grant Hutchison

True, but you would be dead from hypoxia (and your heart will stop) before blood boiling in capillaries causes serious effects.