# Oxygen = Life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-life/959337 "2022-02-11T21:57:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 12
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-life/959337/12 "2022-02-11T23:30:39Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Oxygen can react with a lot of other atoms and get locked away. Water, rust, carbon dioxide, etc. Anything that oxidizes puts oxygen away. Not directly related to the OP but of interest, I think, is people dying who go into a chain locker on a ship if they do not wear breathing apparatus (it [has happened](https://www.taproot.com/the-crew-of-viking-islay-failed-to-recognise-the-chain-locker-was-a-potentially-dangerous-enclosedconfined-space-3-die/)). The oxygen in the locker is captured by the metal as it rusts until no oxygen is left. It shows how easily oxygen can be removed if nothing replenishes it. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oxygen-life/959337)._