Blocko: Hey there, welcome to Life Noggin.
Zhooom Zhooom!
Those were cars…
As a…
Car sounds.
Imagine what would happen if you went speeding through a wall.
You’re probably thinking: Ow.
But not all barriers are made of brick.
Humans have been breaking through the sound barrier for decades, but what exactly does
that mean?
And how does that affect your body?
Well, when a plane approaches the speed of sound it encounters an invisible wall of resistance.
This is known as the sound barrier and it occurs when molecules in the air become powerfully
compressed at the nose.
Breaking through this barrier at the speed of sound, or supersonic speeds, may sound
terribly exhilarating, but inside a modern jet, the ride is smooth and barely noticeable.
Not even the sonic boom, created from the rapid change in pressure, can be heard from
within.
Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks.
While supersonic speeds aren’t enough to kill humans on their own, rapid acceleration
certainly is.
As a pilot picks up speed, their body becomes pummelled by an accelerative pressure called
a g-force.
At their worst, these forces can cause broken bones and burst blood vessels.
But perhaps the most dangerous situation is when a g-force drives a pilot’s blood down
into their feet and away from their brains, causing loss of vision, loss of consciousness
or even death.
Today, pilots wear oxygen masks to breathe with anti G-suits around their legs to stop
blood from pooling there.
They are also taught to special breathing techniques to keep their lungs full and muscle
squeezing exercises to keep blood in their brains.
But here’s thing: it’s not just pilots that can do this.
Exactly sixty-five years after the first aircraft achieved this feat, Felix Baumgartner became
the first human to do the same with only his body.
After seven years of careful preparation, the ex-military parachutist began a free fall
from the edge of space, that would not only break eight world records, but the sound barrier
itself, reaching a top speed that was 75 mph faster than the speed of sound.
At this velocity, scientists worried about internal injury from passing sound waves or
the sound barrier itself.
Unlike modern aircrafts, humans aren’t designed for supersonic travel, and without the safety
of a pressurised, wind-protected vehicle, no one knew what would happen.
24 miles above Earth, where Felix started, temperatures are low enough to cause hypothermia.
That’s why Felix’s airtight suit and helmet were so important, because if even one crack
appeared, he would have died instantly.
One of the scariest moments in the fall was when Felix entered a flat spin.
This is when the body rotates out of control, sometimes reaching 120 revolutions per minute
and creating up to 22 times the force of gravity.
When this happens to a free-falling human, blood is pushed into the head and feet, potentially
causing burst eyeballs, mental confusion, loss of vision, consciousness, and even death.
Luckily, Felix was able to right himself and land safely on the ground, taking a big step
for humankind.
What’s more, in the half a minute Felix spent at supersonic speeds, he felt and heard
absolutely nothing unusual.
So even though his fall came with a whole host of hazards, it turns out, breaking the
sound barrier wasn’t one of them.
Still, unless you have extensive training and all the right equipment, it’s probably
safest to stick to normal speeds and leave the supersonic business with daredevil animations
like me and Triangle Bob.
Are you ready?
Ok, let’s do this.
GGiooong, giooong!!!
Biioong, Biiiiioooong!!!!!!
We’re going so fast Triangle Bob!
Biiiiioooong!!!!!!
So do you have any questions that you really want to be made into a video?
Let me know now in the comment section below, we’re taking suggestions for future episodes.
Curious to know what would happen in your body if you spent 24 hours on a plane?
Check out this video!
As always my name is Blocko!
This has been Life Noggin!
Don’t forget to keep on Zhoomin Zhoomin!!!
Keep…
Keep on thinking.