Destroying colony pods

[Senethro]

Fair enough, but I can't believe it wouldn't have some effect upon blood chemistry.

[#endgame]

Well, nitrogen narcosis does occur at higher pressures.

[GeoModder]

If checking on the canon, nitrogen narc is something the colonists are weary of at best. Breathing masks are mentioned, the effect (or lack of) on Cha Dawn when found, and so on...

[Zoetrope]

According to the web, nitrogen narcosis is noticeable at a sea water depth of 30 m and can be fatal below 100 m. But at 10 m underwater the pressure is 2 atmospheres (1 atm from air plus 1 atm from water). At 30 m, the pressure is 4 atmospheres (400 kPa).

I guess that the partial pressure of nitrogen dissolved in blood would rise in proportion to external pressure. So nitrogen narcosis would barely affect people if Earth's air pressure were 4 atmospheres.

Allowing for planet's higher nitrogen content, its air pressure would need to be at least 3 atmospheres (300 kPa) before nitrogen narcosis would occur, and at least 10 atmospheres (1 MPa) for it to be fatal.

Mild nitrogen narcosis is reversible by reducing the pressure, and it doesn't leave a hangover, so it may be much less harmful than excessive alcohol consumption.

[Googlie]

The manual says:

extracted from the SMAC manual
Planet’s larger size and gravity result in a significantly higher sea level pressure than Earth’s: 1.74 atmospheres (that is, 74% greater air pressure at sea level than on Earth). This brings the partial pressure of Oxygen (15k Pascals) up to acceptable levels, but the high overall pressure combined with such a large quantity of Nitrogen produces deadly Nitrogen narcosis in unprotected humans.

Human colonists would have to wear pressure helmets, at the very least.

[Zoetrope]

Conclusions: the manual is exaggerating the dangers of Chiron's atmosphere, Morgan made his first planet-side fortune by promoting the manual to sell unnecessary breathing gear, and Cha Dawn is the only sane colonist.

[Frankychan]

......And Zoetrope is a HEATHEN!!!!

Only one man had the sanity to guide his people to the 100% guaranteed survival on Planet. I'm surprised Morgan never gets buried under a sea of mindworms in the latter stages of the game...he sure as heck deserves it.

But then again, I'm biased.

[Senethro]

You have a poster of the good Chairman on the roof above your bed, don't you?

[GeoModder]

No, he just needs to look in the mirror above it.

[Lazerus]

or look down at the pin badge we are issued with at birth, i love my badge.

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Googlie
The manual says:

[geek] That was one of the first blatant factual errors I noticed in the manual.
[/geek]

[dannubis]

nitorgen narcosis is caused by the interference of higher N content of the blood with the central nervous system. it is not dangerous in se albeit if you get "drunk" under water the risk of doing something stupid and drown is much more likely.

the supersaturation becomes problematic if you depressurize to quickly (think of the bubbles in champaign when you open the bottle). those bubbles can block arteries leading to a oxygen shortages downstream in the body.

lasting nerve damage is caused by the pressure itself (high pressure nervous syndrome).

as to oxigen, it becomes poisonous at 1.6 bar partial pressure (resulting in epiletic kinds of symtoms). again no short term consequences are ever recorded but an epileptic seizure under water isn't beneficial to the health. long term exposure to higher pressures cause the refractant to be destroyed leading to a collapse of the aveoli. (-> death through suffocation)

[Frankychan]

Originally posted by Senethro
You have a poster of the good Chairman on the roof above your bed, don't you?

Doesn't everyone? But I do have a lot of Hive paraphenalia. Just look at the Poly shop.

Originally posted by Lazerus

or look down at the pin badge we are issued with at birth, i love my badge.

Exactly. Every Hive citizen is issued one. And those that aren't, but have the considerable luck of being liberated by Hive forces, get to learn of our humble ways before integration into Hive society.