Blocko: Hey there, welcome to Life Noggin. Zhooom Zhooom! Those were cars… As a… Car sounds. Imagine what would happen if you went speeding
through a wall. You’re probably thinking: Ow. But not all barriers are made of brick. Humans have been breaking through the sound
barrier for decades, but what exactly does that mean? And how does that affect your body? Well, when a plane approaches the speed of
sound it encounters an invisible wall of resistance. This is known as the sound barrier and it
occurs when molecules in the air become powerfully compressed at the nose. Breaking through this barrier at the speed
of sound, or supersonic speeds, may sound terribly exhilarating, but inside a modern
jet, the ride is smooth and barely noticeable. Not even the sonic boom, created from the
rapid change in pressure, can be heard from within. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t
risks. While supersonic speeds aren’t enough to
kill humans on their own, rapid acceleration certainly is. As a pilot picks up speed, their body becomes
pummelled by an accelerative pressure called a g-force. At their worst, these forces can cause broken
bones and burst blood vessels. But perhaps the most dangerous situation is
when a g-force drives a pilot’s blood down into their feet and away from their brains,
causing loss of vision, loss of consciousness or even death. Today, pilots wear oxygen masks to breathe
with anti G-suits around their legs to stop blood from pooling there. They are also taught to special breathing
techniques to keep their lungs full and muscle squeezing exercises to keep blood in their
brains. But here’s thing: it’s not just pilots
that can do this. Exactly sixty-five years after the first aircraft
achieved this feat, Felix Baumgartner became the first human to do the same with only his
body. After seven years of careful preparation,
the ex-military parachutist began a free fall from the edge of space, that would not only
break eight world records, but the sound barrier itself, reaching a top speed that was 75 mph
faster than the speed of sound. At this velocity, scientists worried about
internal injury from passing sound waves or the sound barrier itself. Unlike modern aircrafts, humans aren’t designed
for supersonic travel, and without the safety of a pressurised, wind-protected vehicle,
no one knew what would happen. 24 miles above Earth, where Felix started,
temperatures are low enough to cause hypothermia. That’s why Felix’s airtight suit and helmet
were so important, because if even one crack appeared, he would have died instantly. One of the scariest moments in the fall was
when Felix entered a flat spin. This is when the body rotates out of control,
sometimes reaching 120 revolutions per minute and creating up to 22 times the force of gravity. When this happens to a free-falling human,
blood is pushed into the head and feet, potentially causing burst eyeballs, mental confusion,
loss of vision, consciousness, and even death. Luckily, Felix was able to right himself and
land safely on the ground, taking a big step for humankind. What’s more, in the half a minute Felix
spent at supersonic speeds, he felt and heard absolutely nothing unusual. So even though his fall came with a whole
host of hazards, it turns out, breaking the sound barrier wasn’t one of them. Still, unless you have extensive training
and all the right equipment, it’s probably safest to stick to normal speeds and leave
the supersonic business with daredevil animations like me and Triangle Bob. Are you ready? Ok, let’s do this. GGiooong, giooong!!! Biioong, Biiiiioooong!!!!!! We’re going so fast Triangle Bob! Biiiiioooong!!!!!! So do you have any questions that you really
want to be made into a video? Let me know now in the comment section below,
we’re taking suggestions for future episodes. Curious to know what would happen in your
body if you spent 24 hours on a plane? Check out this video! As always my name is Blocko! This has been Life Noggin! Don’t forget to keep on Zhoomin Zhoomin!!! Keep… Keep on thinking.
