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The sun is a deadly laser... (files.catbox.moe)
submitted 7 months ago by to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/44126927

Goldilocks

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[+] -7 points 7 months ago (9 children)

Heat doesn't work quite like that. In order for heat to transfer efficiently, there has to be "stuff" for it to transfer to. Vacuums are famous for lacking "stuff".

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  • [–] 13 points 7 months ago (7 children)

    You're talking about conduction. I'm talking about radiation.

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (6 children)

    Sure, but radiation acts extremely slowly in the scenario of a person in the vacuum of space.

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago* (5 children)

    Yes it is. But it is the main way by which things cool down in space.

    That's how satellite electronics are cooled down. They have large heat sinks that slowly radiate heat away.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (4 children)

    And those heat sinks are large because at the low temperatures involved, radiation is not an efficient way to shed heat.

    I thought we were talking about a person in the vacuum of space.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago* (3 children)

    A human body will also eventually freeze in space. The same physics apply. It's just not going to happen fast.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (2 children)

    I just did the maths in another post. It's surprisingly fast! 10 minutes till you die, under 20 till you freeze. Assuming perfect heat conduction and no increased energy generation from shivering or panicking, which probably won't make much of a difference.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 child)

    I presume a person would curl up into a ball to preserve heat which would reduce the effective skin surface area. But that is still quite fast

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