Fresh Air The High Pressure Experiments That Made D-Day
40 snips
Nov 14, 2025 
In a riveting discussion, Rachel Lance, a biomedical engineer and author of 'Chamber Divers,' dives into the high-stakes research that helped shape D-Day strategies, revealing the perils of underwater pressure and the extreme experiments undertaken by WWII scientists. She shares gripping tales of decompression sickness and the intoxicating dangers of oxygen toxicity. Film critic Justin Chang also weighs in with a passionate review of 'Sirat,' describing it as one of the year's standout films, adding cinematic flair to the conversation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
How Wartime Science Enabled D-Day
- J.B.S. Haldane's wartime research linked submarine survival problems to diving physiology and D-Day reconnaissance needs.
- Their work on breathing gases and mini-subs enabled close‑in underwater scouting for Normandy.
Why The Bends Occur And Why They Mystify
- Increased ambient pressure forces more nitrogen into tissues during dives, which can form harmful bubbles on rapid ascent.
- Decompression sickness presents variably and researchers still probe where symptomatic bubbles originate.
Recompress To Reverse The Bends
- Treat decompression sickness by recompressing patients slowly in a hyperbaric chamber to shrink bubbles and allow safe off‑gassing.
- Use controlled pressure tables to bring nitrogen out harmlessly rather than risking rapid ascent.
