Xref: utzoo sci.space:20443 sci.space.shuttle:5630
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From: newman@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Bill Newman)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: space news from April 2 AW&ST
Message-ID: <10340@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: 31 May 90 16:10:07 GMT
References: <1990May14.140220.5895@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> <1990May15.160005.29719@utzoo.uucp> <21189@boulder.Colorado.EDU> <1990May31.131126.7884@unx.sas.com>
Reply-To: newman@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Bill Newman)
Organization: Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Lines: 16

In article <1990May31.131126.7884@unx.sas.com> sasdvp@unx.sas.com (David V. Phillips) writes:
	(things that seem about right except)
>Humans need a minimum partial pressure of about 0.2 atm
>of O2 in order to live.

At sea level, you get very nearly .2 atm of O2.  People without special
training can hike over passes which are nearly 20,000 feet (uh, 6000
meters :-) though some of them will get altitude sickness trying.  My current
issue of Hang Gliding magazine says you shouldn't go up that high without
breathing apparatus, 'cause you won't be as competent as you think when you
land.  But if you get acclimated to it gradually, and aren't
particularly susceptible to altitude sickness 
the minimum just to live is probably closer to .1 atm than .2.

  Bill Newman
  newman@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu