[torstesu]

You are correct. You can simulate this by filling your lungs with air at 10 m under water and then rise quickly to the surface while holding your breath. It would be analog to filling your lungs with 2atm at sea level. Boom.

[eksith]

Ah, I'm gonna have to take your word for it ;)

The diving comparison comes up a lot with these space exposure questions. Even the article mentions Scuba diving. But diving is applicable in many ways not just in terms of physiology, but behavior and psychology as well.

I remember there was once also an experiment in an undersea lab where a group of people spent time to see what would happen on similar long duration space missions.

[jlgreco]

Diving comparisons can actually give us real-world examples of Hollywood style decompression too. In real life human bodies don't explode when decompressed in space, but if you depressurize a diving bell on the surface then all bets are off: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byford_Dolphin#Diving_bell_acci...

1atm->0atm won't do it, but apparently 9atm->1atm can.

[scott_s]

Mythbusters did something similar. They tested what would happen to a diver if you cut the hose in one of those old-school diving suits that had a hose connecting them to the surface. It's not pretty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEY3fN4N3D8

Pressure differentials are powerful.

[eksith]

That's one of the most horrifying things I've ever read. I thank you for the lesson; not so much for the nightmares.