Brain Teasers
Space Adventures II
Science
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.Science
Welcome back to Space Adventures! Viewers, this is a science fiction show like none other. Each week, we will air a new episode. Each week, there will be an event during the show that defies all known science; and each week, we will award a prize to the first 25 viewers to call in and tell us what the event is! Strap in because we're ready for takeoff.
Commander Frakes was grim. One of the space stations had collided with a piece of orbital debris. He and his crew were flying up to perform rescue operations, but there had been no communication with any of the station crew. Earth side command was prepared for the worst.
Blane carefully maneuvered the Pioneer alongside the docking port of the space station. There was a jagged hole through the hull where the debris hit. The crew donned special pressure suits before opening the hatch. Dr. Eliot was the first to go through. She took a quick look around.
"It looks like a hurricane went through here," said Hills.
"Yes, that's because of the depressurization. Everything loose gets sucked out into the vacuum of space, leaving the rest of it a mess."
"Everything? But the crew..."
Blane called out, "Dr. Eliot! I found one of the crew. He - he's gone, sir."
Eliot and Hills floated to where he was. Eliot moved closer to inspect the crewman. He had a vicious gash in his forehead and was half in a pressure suit. Little droplets of ghastly blue blood floated around him.
"His blood," Hills murmured.
"It's deoxygenated. There's no oxygen to react with in here. Help me get him back to the Pioneer, please," said Eliot gently.
Frakes and Johnson discovered the rest of the crew in the galley, the area furthest from the collision point. They were pretty battered but had managed to get to their suits before asphyxiation claimed them. The only casualty was the man Blane had discovered; he had been very close to the collision point during the accident. The two crews left the station. Salvage crews would come later to dismantle it.
The Pioneer returned to Earth, where the surviving crewmembers were happily reunited with their friends and family. A funeral service was held. Ironically, the man had been experimenting with force shields. Scientists Earth side quickly began advancing his research. Perhaps there would be a way to prevent another such accident from happening again...
Viewers, we are standing by for your calls! What was wrong with this episode?
Commander Frakes was grim. One of the space stations had collided with a piece of orbital debris. He and his crew were flying up to perform rescue operations, but there had been no communication with any of the station crew. Earth side command was prepared for the worst.
Blane carefully maneuvered the Pioneer alongside the docking port of the space station. There was a jagged hole through the hull where the debris hit. The crew donned special pressure suits before opening the hatch. Dr. Eliot was the first to go through. She took a quick look around.
"It looks like a hurricane went through here," said Hills.
"Yes, that's because of the depressurization. Everything loose gets sucked out into the vacuum of space, leaving the rest of it a mess."
"Everything? But the crew..."
Blane called out, "Dr. Eliot! I found one of the crew. He - he's gone, sir."
Eliot and Hills floated to where he was. Eliot moved closer to inspect the crewman. He had a vicious gash in his forehead and was half in a pressure suit. Little droplets of ghastly blue blood floated around him.
"His blood," Hills murmured.
"It's deoxygenated. There's no oxygen to react with in here. Help me get him back to the Pioneer, please," said Eliot gently.
Frakes and Johnson discovered the rest of the crew in the galley, the area furthest from the collision point. They were pretty battered but had managed to get to their suits before asphyxiation claimed them. The only casualty was the man Blane had discovered; he had been very close to the collision point during the accident. The two crews left the station. Salvage crews would come later to dismantle it.
The Pioneer returned to Earth, where the surviving crewmembers were happily reunited with their friends and family. A funeral service was held. Ironically, the man had been experimenting with force shields. Scientists Earth side quickly began advancing his research. Perhaps there would be a way to prevent another such accident from happening again...
Viewers, we are standing by for your calls! What was wrong with this episode?
Hint
It has to do with the blood.Answer
There are a number of things wrong with the episode.First, there would be no liquid blood. In a depressurized environment, liquid literally boils away. All that would be left in this type of scenario would be the solid blood components.
Second, the blood would not have been blue anyway. It is a common misconception that deoxygenated blood is blue, because our veins appear to be bluish and most science textbooks depict veins and the blood in them as blue to distinguish them from arteries, which carry oxygenated blood. The reality is that oxygenated blood is bright red, whereas deoxygenated blood is a darker shade of red.
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Comments
Heh. I've always wanted to be the first to comment.
I hope no one felt that this was too somber. I started writing this teaser believing that de-ox blood actually IS blue (and I pride myself on knowing science!). I was rather abashed when I found out otherwise.
I figured that since I had believed that common misconception, then others might too. Anyway, I hope you guys don't think it's too boring.
I hope no one felt that this was too somber. I started writing this teaser believing that de-ox blood actually IS blue (and I pride myself on knowing science!). I was rather abashed when I found out otherwise.
I figured that since I had believed that common misconception, then others might too. Anyway, I hope you guys don't think it's too boring.
I didnt have the slightest clue, lol! Enjoyed it though, look forward to next weeks!
I was thinking about the bloo, but wasn't sure until I read the clue. Deoxygenated blood wouldn't be blue because the hemoglobin makes the red bloodcells red, and the only thing hemoglobin has to do with oxygen is that it attaches to it. Great teaser, lots of fun
thanks for teaching me something new, bookworm!
I was thinking, if the dead crew member was in a depressurised area of the ship then I imagine that his blood would have evaporated due to the vacuum of space.
Lol, I knew that blood is red forever even when i'm in 4th grade >< Our veins are blue! XD
Actually if even a small hole appeared in the space suit the man would literally explode another mistake but fun
Yeah I knew that one, but good anyway. I liked your other one, keep up the good work.
Thanks everyone I'm all out of ideas for new teasers, which is why they've stopped. If you have suggestions, please PM me.
Sorry, bookworm. This is incorrect.
The problem with the blood is not what color it would be. The problem is that it is depicted as being a liquid.
With no pressure, all of the liquid would boil away. It's possible that this would steal enough heat that there would be some frozen bits (which would then sublimate, but that would take a while). But more likely all the water would be gone and there would only be some blood solids floating around.
I'm not sure what form that would take, whether it would be dust, crystals, or what. It wouldn't dry in a spot like dried blood you're familiar with, because that has time to coagulate before it dries. This would be freeze-dried.
The problem with the blood is not what color it would be. The problem is that it is depicted as being a liquid.
With no pressure, all of the liquid would boil away. It's possible that this would steal enough heat that there would be some frozen bits (which would then sublimate, but that would take a while). But more likely all the water would be gone and there would only be some blood solids floating around.
I'm not sure what form that would take, whether it would be dust, crystals, or what. It wouldn't dry in a spot like dried blood you're familiar with, because that has time to coagulate before it dries. This would be freeze-dried.
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