How long can you survive in a freezer? | Science
The science behind the newsScience This article is more than 19 years oldHow long can you survive in a freezer?
This article is more than 19 years oldA question that Richard Carter must have asked himself when some kids locked him in his ice cream freezer, according to the Sun this week.
Carter, who was trapped in the -28C chamber for 15 minutes, told the newspaper: "Another 15 minutes and I'd have been a goner."
The first sign of trouble is frostbite, says Bill Keatinge, physiologist at Queen Mary, University of London. In extreme cold, our bodies shut down the blood supply to our skin, and because our fingers are so small, they can freeze quickly if not covered up.
"In experiments, I've frozen my little finger repeatedly, and it only takes about 70 to 80 seconds," says Keatinge.
Frozen fingers are a big issue in Yakutsk in eastern Siberia, the coldest town in the world. Drunks who collapse outside often have frozen fingers by the time they are found. "The local doctors do between one and three finger amputations a day, and it's a small town," says Keatinge. "It's a problem all over Russia."
While shivering keeps you warm, boosting your body's heat production tenfold, it uses a lot of energy, so can be exhausting.
When shivering stops, it's time to worry. Even if you are fat, you will begin to lose heat quickly, falling into a state of hypothermia once your core body temperature drops below 35C.
As the body cools further, breathing becomes laboured and it becomes hard to think straight. Ultimately, the heart muscles begin to seize up, and because blood is then pumped around the body so inefficiently, tissues and organs fail through lack of oxygen. "You'd be in real trouble within hours at -28C," said Keatinge. "I'd be amazed if anyone survived as long as a day at that temperature."
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