Scientists Just Created Crystals That Make Breathing Underwater A Possibility

a reply to: CranialSponge
I'm sure the folks who came up with these crystals are looking for a practical use. I'm not sure diving will turn out to be one of them.

a reply to: Phage

It makes you wonder what their trying to come up with as to why they would think it to be useful for deep sea diving purposes.

I can't imagine what or how... but it's an interesting thought to puzzle over nonetheless.

a reply to: CranialSponge

It makes you wonder what their trying to come up with as to why they would think it to be useful for deep sea diving purposes.

They may not be divers.

I could see the military using these on soldiers, if able to last a very long time without power. I could see this being an enhancement product.

And not really violating any of the genetic laws as this would be an external attachment.

If we can move more towards this direction, we will have space marines pretty soon.

Imagine being able to run long distances without getting fatigue? Lifting and heavy materials and doing labourous tasks with this device on would give your body the juice it needs. It can be dangerous to breath just oxygen. But since the source is not limited. I imagine they could figure out how to make this work without harming the individual.

And the enhancement to brain activity.... We might not even need genetic engineering if we can figure out some other useful things like this.
Extracting oxygen from the air in a more pure form is highly useful. It pretty much can turn us superhuman.

www.tandfonline.com...

The effects of breathing high concentrations of oxygen on treadmill performance time, the exercise and postexercise pulse, and the relationship between excess lactic acid and oxygen debt were studied. The breathing of oxygen during the maximal performance test improved the performance time of each test. Oxygen debt was significantly reduced for the first minute of recovery after breathing oxygen during the test. The excess lactic acid was reduced after the first minute of recovery and was found to peak during the third minute of recovery. A linear relationship was observed between excess lactic acid and oxygen debt while breathing air or oxygen during the test.

The article says that a bucketful of these crystals can completely suck the oxygen out of room but it doesn't say how big a room or how much time. If it can take the oxygen out of a fair-sized room in a relatively short time, I can see this being used by the military or police to clear a room or an entire building. Lob in one or more canisters of this material and the people inside would either come out of the building or suffocate. I suppose it could be picked up and thrown back out, but maybe it could be designed to disperse the crystals.

I also thought about this being used as a firefighting tool. The crystals could be dumped on a fire to suck the oxygen out of the air and kill the flames. If that's feasible , it would be a big help in fighting large forest fires.

I don't know if either of these ideas would be practical. I'm just speculating.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

Lob in one or more canisters of this material and the people inside would either come out of the building or suffocate. I

They wouldn't be able to make a choice. A lack of oxygen does not create any real symptoms of danger. You might get a little short of breath, maybe a little tired, then you pass out, then you die. But unless the room was sealed the lost oxygen would be replaced by more air flowing into the room to replace it.

The crystals could be dumped on a fire to suck the oxygen out of the air and kill the flames. If that's feasible , it would be a big help in fighting large forest fires.

Fires do a pretty good job of eating up oxygen on their own, trouble is, there is more where it came from. If there isn't the fire dies.

a reply to: onehuman

Interesting.

So now, underwater cities are a possibility.

a reply to: arpgme

Well spotted. Haha

wow,this is amazing stuff.

The study involved about a bucket full (10 liters) of microscopic grains, and found them to be enough to completely suck the oxygen out of a room. Professor Christine McKenzie said......“A few grains contain enough oxygen for one breath

What happens to the water after the oxygen is sucked out of it, does it turn into hydrogen?

The possible uses for this stuff is really amazing.

a reply to: Tardacus

It's talking about dissolved oxygen. Not water molecules.

a reply to: Phage


We're not talking about sucking all of the air out of a room, only the oxygen. Air is only about 20% oxygen by volume, so only about 20% of the air volume would be removed. Yes, some air would flow in and the oxygen from that air would also be removed until the room is completely filled with oxygen depleted air.

Removing the oxygenated air from around a fire will cause it to quickly dissipate. That's the principle that a co2 fire extinguisher uses. The air is displaced by carbon dioxide which effectively deprives the fire of oxygen and the fire goes out. An average campfire can be extinguished with a small co2 extinguisher.

The crystals would produce the same effect by removing the oxygen ( again, 20% of the air volume) from around a fire and it would quickly burn itself out.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: Phage

Okay, but what if these crystals enable a person to inhale water via some kind of mask that gets placed over their face and mouth, oxygenate the body by breathing through the crystals like a filter, and exhale the waste product CO2 ?

Like a fetus in the uterus ?



Or am I starting to sound too sci-fi ish...

Interesting Cranial, because a fetus doesn't inhale oxygen but is provided oxygen via the placenta and blood from the mother. Something to think about for sure.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

The crystals would produce the same effect by removing the oxygen ( again, 20% of the air volume) from around a fire and it would quickly burn itself out.

Faster than the fire consumes oxygen? Displacing air means something takes it's place. Consuming oxygen means something removes it.
Removing something is not the same as displacing something. When something is removed (oxygen) something (air, containing oxygen) replaces it. When something is displaced (air) something (CO2) supersedes it.

a reply to: Phage

Faster than the fire consumes oxygen?

It doesn't matter how the oxygen is used up. When it's gone the fire goes out.

Removing something is not the same as displacing something.

There is no significant difference whether it's removed or displaced. In either case, it's no longer there.

a reply to: Phage

a reply to: PhageDon't try breathing through a hosepipe.You'll die.

However,should you only breathe IN through the pipe,it could work.

a reply to: N3k9Ni

There is no significant difference whether it's removed or displaced. In either case, it's no longer there.

There is a significant difference. When oxygen is removed (consumed, burned, what ever) air moves in to replace it. That is why a fire can continue to burn for as long as there is an air supply.

When CO2 displaces air, air is pushed away. Air does not rush in to replace it, though the CO2 gradually dissipates.

a reply to: Phage

The air we breathe is about 21% oxygen. Fire needs an atmosphere with at least 16 percent oxygen. Even if more air comes in, if these crystals can maintain an oxygen level below 16 percent, the fire will go out.

originally posted by: N3k9Ni
a reply to: Phage

The air we breathe is about 21% oxygen. Fire needs an atmosphere with at least 16 percent oxygen. Even if more air comes in, if these crystals can maintain an oxygen level below 16 percent, the fire will go out.

Do you think the crystals can absorb oxygen faster than combustion consumes it?
Why would the crystals be better than CO2?

a reply to: Phage

They don't have to remove the oxygen faster than the fire can burn, they only have to reduce the oxygen level by five or six percent and the fire can't burn.

I didn't say it would be better than co2, it would just be another tool for fire control. I said in the first place I didn't know if it would work and it was just speculation. I didn't mean to get your panties in a bunch.