What would happen if an astronaut took her glove off for a few seconds in space?

From what I have read, you would expect to get a bad case of frost bite as perspiration turns to ice on her skin. Once the full body is exposed to a vacuum, a number of physiological changes happen very quickly, and unconsciousness sets-in after about 30 seconds to 1 minute. It takes time for gas to pass out from the inside of the body and escape into space. There would be lung damage as the alveoli rupture and fluids and gases flow into the lung cavitys.


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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