Armstrong’s
line is named after Harry George Armstrong, a man who made significant contributions
in the field of aviation medicine. At
around 63,000 feet or 12 miles high, Armstrong’s line is a point in our
atmosphere where water changes from the liquid state to the gaseous state at human body
temperature (98.6˚F). Upon reaching such an altitude, things like tears, sweat, saliva, and
any other water content in the body will boil causing a slow and painful death—including blood?
In case you
are wondering, according to americasblood.org, plasma accounts for 55% of the
blood in a human body and 90% of plasma is made up of water. So concluding that
water makes up about 50% of a person's blood, it is true that the
water content in the blood will boil. In addition to boiling, gas bubbles
inside the bloodstream can at some point block blood flow in an artery causing
the person to die of a heart attack.
Not
to worry, because thanks to Mr. Armstrong, fighter pilots today have
pressurized suits keeping them alive at such high altitudes. In addition,
pilots continuously breathe on oxygen masks to compensate for the decrease in
oxygen partial pressure. Without oxygen masks at 60,000 feet, exposed pilots
would become incapacitated due to hypoxia in a matter of seconds.
There are some humans who have been close to 12 miles high without pressurized suits; one example is passengers in a Concorde.
There are some humans who have been close to 12 miles high without pressurized suits; one example is passengers in a Concorde.
Quote:
“As a day well spent brings happy sleep, so life well used
brings happy death.” Leonardo DaVinci