namelessfly wrote:I just saw this article.
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/04/ ... of-oxygen/
At 38,000 feet a human would be subjected to not just extreme cold and a lack of oxygen, the pressure is almost low enough that the blood should boil at normal body temperature. Try getting water to get hot enough to cook anything on Mount Everest.
I would also expect that given no oxygen and the cold, the body would freeze solid producing ice crystals that would rupture cell walls. Perhaps ice crystals form differently at low pressure?
I think that events such as this are hints on how we might do cold sleep hibernation.
Actually the human body will hold up reasonably well at 45,000 feet. The highest unprotected ejection survival was above 52,000 (and he spent over an hour and a half in the air after his parachute opened over a thunderstorm) and a paraglider survived a trip to 32,000 feet (again care of a thunderstorm). Frostbite is possible if exposed to free air but the wheel well of an airliner will not get too far below freezing (the cargo hold is heated and pressurized the same as the cabin and on the other side of a pressure bulkhead from the wheels). Skin suits (yes they do exist) apply 4 psi of force to the skin but do not hold pressure, only the helmet is pressurized (they are more comfortable for females however, as 4 psi applied to the genitals is interesting - custom fitted cups are needed).