Corrected entry: Upon reentry, a crew member comments that the atmosphere is like "breathing through an exhaust pipe, CO2 is over 3%, two minutes without a suit and you're dead." However, human beings can live in an environment of over 5% CO2, with only mild discomfort in the 3% range.
lionhead
23rd Jun 2012
Prometheus (2012)
1st Jul 2019
Prometheus (2012)
Corrected entry: How can the head that's been dead for 2,000 years or more explode with gelatinous goo? Everything would have long since dried up.
Correction: You are talking about a very ancient and biologically advanced species in who knows what kind of environment. You can't know what their physiology is and what would dry up or not.
Actually, after the room was open and was explored for a bit, Shaw notices that material inside the room started to actively degrade. This implies that something in the sealed room preserved the head until the door was opened.
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Correction: They're just rattling off a list of details about the atmosphere, concluding with the fact that it will kill you. Its lethal toxicity is not to do with the CO2 levels.
Phixius ★
"Not to do with the CO2 levels"? Read the quote. They're saying you'll die in minutes from exposure to 3% CO2. That would make mouth-to-mouth resuscitation an impossibility as we exhale about 4% CO2. Even if they meant carbon monoxide - ie. What comes out of an exhaust pipe - you'd still have have to be WELL over 3% concentration for it to be lethal within minutes.
The quote does say the atmosphere is over 3%, not at 3%. Could be 6%.
lionhead
It's unlikely after saying 71% nitrogen and 21% oxygen that "over 3%" would mean double the amount. Over 3% would mean less than 4%. But I would like to know what studies shows humans surviving over 5% CO2 levels to see what the rest of the air is made up of.
Bishop73