Xref: utzoo sci.med:14087 sci.bio:2588
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!chuq
From: chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Breathing liquid?
Message-ID: <37394@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 19 Dec 89 16:21:45 GMT
References: <CMM.0.88.630065705.bfu@goll.uio.no>
Organization: Life is just a Fantasy novel played for keeps
Lines: 20

bfu@ifi.uio.no (Thomas Gramstad) writes:

>Sometimes in science fiction etc. one encounters the idea of
>deep divers breathing liquid instead of gas (the last example
>is in the movie The Abyss).  What is the rationale for this
>idea, if any?  Is it at all possible for a human being to
>breathe and obtain oxygen from a liquid?

Definitely. Many experiments have been done with various fluorocarbons and
lab animals. The idea is to fill the lungs with something that doesn't cause
as many problems under high-pressure situations.


-- 

Chuq Von Rospach   <+>   chuq@apple.com   <+>   [This is myself speaking]

For herein may be seen noble chivalry, courtesy, humanity, friendliness,
cowardice, murder, hate, virtue and sin. Do after the good and leave the
evil, and it shall bring you to good fame and renown. -- Malory