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From: howard@cpocd2.UUCP (Howard A. Landman)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.physics
Subject: Re: Xenon/oxygen
Message-ID: <895@cpocd2.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 9-Oct-87 14:31:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: cpocd2.895
Posted: Fri Oct  9 14:31:39 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Oct-87 05:22:21 EDT
References: <18@krafla.UUCP>
Reply-To: howard@cpocd2.UUCP (Howard A. Landman)
Organization: Intel Corp. ASIC Systems Organization, Chandler AZ
Lines: 25
Xref: mnetor sci.bio:714 sci.physics:2466

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.

Probably, but I believe that Xenon (for not-too-clearly understood reasons)
is a mild anaesthetic.  So you might not be able to feel anything, or even
stay awake.  This is really a sci.med question.

>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. :-)

Just imagine it - your lungs would be filled with something denser than water,
adding greatly to the average density of your body!  A highly adipose person
might float, but I (skin, bones, and a little muscle) sink even in water if
I expel most of the air from my lungs.

Maybe you'd have better luck with Radon; it's heavier. :-) :-) :-O |-<

-- 
	Howard A. Landman
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	"Unpick a ninny - recall Mecham"