5

In Season 1 Finale episode of Netflix Lost In Space (2018), we see Don working with John Robinson on what appears to be the left over of the space craft that exploded in their attempt to reach The Resolute in the previous episode.

While they are trying to ignite fire in space, (by means of short circuiting some wires in one of the remaining panels of the space craft), Don suddenly expresses pain/itchiness in the eye. John tells him that some sort of dry dust sneaked into the suit and landed in his eye, and since they are in space, he can't just take of his helmet, so John advises him to closes his eyes.

We later find out that he needed his eyes to wash the foreign object by tears.

All of this made me think about a serious question: what do astronauts do if they feel an itch in their nose, or in the face in general. This lead me to dozens of websites that answer this very question.. One of them is this: https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/12922/how-do-astronauts-on-eva-deal-with-nose-itching

In any case, there are several solutions to the problem: one of them is a piece inside the space helmet that astronauts are able to push their face against to rub their noses, and the most obvious answer is that they are able to pull their hands from the space suit and scratch their face freely.

Now for the sake of argument, let's just imagine that Lost In Space is set in a future where space suit don't allow astronauts to pull their hands free and scratch their face. Let's also imagine that the science fiction made for TV creates more drama for viewers by restraining the activity of astronauts in outer space (which they successfully do).

With all of that out of the way: I still can't help but ask the question:

Can't Don just close the one eye that had the dust spec?

Then he would still be able to use the other eye to find the right wires to short circuit. Is their a valid reason for him to close both eyes?

Improve this question
1
  • 2
    Given all the other incredibly nonsensical things that happen in the show, I'm going to go with "no, there is no reason."
    – Steve-O
    Commented Apr 24, 2018 at 13:28

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Have you ever had a fragment in your eyes? I had once and even with tear drops it took me one day to remove it. The pain is terribe and you really need to close both eyes to stop the pain, I can tell you. It's not like some dust. Normally the body reacts immediately flooding the eyes but without the possibility to use your hands it must be a terrible pain. So the mistake in the scene is not that he could have kept one eye open but that he needed to cry to make tear drops, which are naturally dropped in this situation.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .