• Question: Why do you die if you breathe in space air without a helmet and suit?

    Asked by anon-334797 on 9 Oct 2022.
    • Photo: Mike Heyns

      Mike Heyns answered on 9 Oct 2022:


      There is no air in space, so it would be asphyxiation that does the job. The catch is that if you hold your breath, the vacuum of space would also make the oxygen in your body expand and rupture your lungs. It is also very cold in space, so you’d likely have an issue with exposure very quickly.

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