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From: palmer@tybalt.caltech.edu.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.physics
Subject: Re: Xenon/oxygen
Message-ID: <4111@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Date: Sat, 3-Oct-87 16:31:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: cit-vax.4111
Posted: Sat Oct  3 16:31:39 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Oct-87 03:00:45 EDT
References: <18@krafla.UUCP>
Sender: news@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu
Reply-To: palmer@tybalt.caltech.edu.UUCP (David Palmer)
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Lines: 29
Xref: utgpu sci.bio:615 sci.physics:2248

In article <18@krafla.UUCP> frisk@krafla.UUCP (Fridrik Skulason) writes:
>Can anyone tell me if a high-pressure mixture of xenon and oxygen would
>be breathable.
>
>The reason I am asking this is that it should be possible to create a mixture
>with density just above that of water.
>
>Now - if this mixture is breathable - it should be possible to float around in
>this. Just imagine it - we would finally be able to fly like the birds. :-)

This has been suggested in the "Inventions Of Daedalus" on the last page
of NewScientist (a British magazine), reprinted in the book of the
same name by David Jones (I believe that is the author's name).  It is
a very good book full of neat and impractical ideas.

There may be a problem with pumping high density fluids into and out of the
lungs.  This may be partially compensated for by increasing the partial
pressure of oxygen, within limits, so that you don't have to breath as often.

The article also explains the real meaning behind "Kubla Kahn"

		In Xenodu, did Kubla Kahn,
		A stately pressure dome decree...

		David Palmer
		palmer@tybalt.caltech.edu
		...rutgers!cit-vax!tybalt.caltech.edu!palmer
	The opinions expressed are those of an 8000 year old Atlantuan
	priestess named Mrla, and not necessarily those of her channel.