if you're buried underground and trying to dig out, how would you be able to determine which way is up?

Answer 1

I understand that if you're buried in an avalanche, this is a problem.

You spit to see which way is down.

Answer 2

The question reminds me of that episode of 24 or something, when a man was buried in a glass box, and videotaped, and the glass cracked, and ants leaked in, and he was eaten alive by ants. And Im stoned.

Anyway, I guess you would dig and dig until you thought you couldn't go any farther and find out Maybe also, the coldest side would be the bottom. That soil has not been broken into, so it still retains the cold dampness of being solid. After all, the dirt on TOP of you has been burned with friction, and it is warmer, maybe drier. I mean, unless they wet the soil above you.

I have dug to deep into this, LOL

Answer 3

That is as scary a scenario as being in the water in the dark and not knowing which way is up.
Ok. If you got any movement possible with your arms, the way the gravity pulls against them would tell you which way was up.

Not that I would want to give it a try, but I can't imagine what you would do with the dirt if you could even dig to start with. Like I say, really scary scenario especially us claustrophobics!!

Answer 4

Since you can dig yourself out, you have enough space to move your hands and arms, so you pickup a piece of dirt and drop it with one hand on the other. Since it falls straight down, it hits the hand up is in the other direction. Or just start digging and the earth will fall down.
You didn't think gravity balanced out down there did you?

Answer 5

If you have room try to drop some dirt in your face (with your eyes shut of course.) Keep doing it until you get it right. Then go from where the dirt fell that hit you in the face. I'm assuming you are not completely immobilized.

Answer 6

I believe that the inner ear has a direction sensing mechanism. If I remember correctly, there is fluid in the inner ear and nerves which sense the direction of "up." Try closing your eyes and moving your head around and sensing which direction is "up". I bet that you can do it.

Answer 7

Accumulate a little spit in your mouth and feel which what it runs. Up is in the opposite direction.

Answer 8

You have these tubes in your ears that help maintain your eqilbrium.. even in the dark!


Failing that... "lift" your arm and let it fall, that's down.

Answer 9

spit if it hits ya in the face your looking in the right direction

Answer 10

Gravity - usually you can feel it... Did you watch Kill Bill 2?