Candles on a spaceship
We all know that there is zero gravity in space, but what does it feel like to be weightless? How will the little things we take for granted on the ground change in space?
BBC asked Neil Melville, the parabolic flight coordinator of the European Space Agency, to introduce you to some common sense in zero gravity.
Although Melville is an experienced trainer, he admits that describing the experience of weightlessness to someone who has never experienced it is as difficult as describing the color red to someone who is color blind and cannot see red.
But it is said that it is a bit like riding a roller coaster, when you just feel the sudden drop in flight.
tearful
Have you ever thought about what would happen if you suddenly wanted to cry in space?
Under normal circumstances, when a person is crying, tears will come out of the eyes and flow down the cheeks. But in space, due to zero gravity, tears will not flow out of the eye sockets and flow down, but will gather in the eye sockets, forming watery eyes that make the eyes blurry.
At this time, you need to wipe your tears with a tissue to regain your sight.
Strike a match
What will happen if you strike a match in space?
Neil first warned against doing this in a space station. He explained that due to the loss of gravity, many of the little things we take for granted on the ground have changed in space.
For example, when you usually light a match, the flame will rise, and the air around the flame will be heated, and as the cold air is sucked into the bottom of the flame, it will supplement oxygen for combustion, and the flame will continue to burn and maintain its shape.
But in zero gravity, since there is no up and down movement, the flame will not rise, and it will be very dim, and there will be no fresh oxygen that can be replenished at any time. However, the flames also burn more slowly and, most surprisingly, take on a spherical shape.
Neil also explained that the fire did not go upward, but spread in all directions around it, and at the same time the temperature of the fire was not as hot as on the earth.
Open a carbonated drink
What will happen if you open a carbonated drink in space?
What would be the effect if you opened a can of carbonated drink in space?
I would like to warn you first, if you have the opportunity to experience zero gravity, do not try it.
The effect of opening a carbonated drink in space will be even more exaggerated. The foam in the can will pour out in waves, and the movement will be louder. The result will be a mess everywhere.
Neil said the reason behind this can be explained by Boyle's law (also known as Boyle's law). How does
affect people’s taste buds?
Scientists still don’t know what changes happen to human taste buds under the conditions of low pressure and weightlessness in space, but human taste buds seem to be less sensitive.
Neil explained that this may be related to a change in the direction of fluid flow in your mouth.
Some space travelers also mention a feeling of head congestion.
Neil said this is because body fluids do not flow downward in space as they do on the ground. Neil described it as being like that feeling of dizziness and dizziness you get when you have a bad cold, but you're not actually sick.
Neil said that this will greatly affect your sense of smell. If your sense of smell is reduced, your sense of taste will also be affected.
One way is to add more salt to the food to season it, but of course it is not suitable for long-term consumption, because too much salt is harmful to health.
Neal said that in order to make the astronauts' food more flavorful, they usually use some strong condiments, and now the astronauts are generally satisfied with the food.
Weightless flight
Experience zero gravity flight
In addition to training astronauts, the European Space Agency where Neil works also provides ordinary people with the experience of weightless flight.
Those who participate in this so-called parabolic flight must first pass a medical examination and pass the test. They must be adults over 18 years old, and the fee is expensive, about 6,000 euros (about 48,000 yuan).
The plane takes off and then flies along a parabola. When it reaches the apex of the parabola, the people in the cabin experience twice the gravity and double their weight. After one or two seconds, they transition to a state of weightlessness.
At this time, people will feel that the weight has disappeared. Neil said that this state of weightlessness lasts about 20 seconds each time, a wonderful sense of euphoria that makes you feel peaceful and relaxed.
But soon, you will be back on the ground and everything will be back to normal. (This article is reproduced from BBC Chinese website)
