Part 6/14:
Hollywood's dramatic scenes of astronauts swelling and bursting in space are far from scientific reality. The human body is surprisingly resilient to vacuum exposure—no instant explosion or disintegration occurs.
The most immediate danger isn't an explosion but rather the process of boiling. In a vacuum, water boils at any temperature, meaning bodily fluids like saliva, tears, and moisture in the lungs would vaporize. Historically, accidental vacuum exposure, such as a NASA technician in 1966, confirmed that a person remains conscious for about 14 seconds before losing consciousness, experiencing sensations like boiling fluids on the tongue.