A4_6 Honey I Shrunk the Blood Vessels

Abstract

The 1989 family film ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ describes a number of children being reduced to ¼ inch high after an accident involving an ‘electromagnetic shrink ray’. This paper considers the effect this phenomenon would have on the circulatory system. By considering the blood vessels it is found that, in order to maintain adequate flow rate, the blood pressure drop throughout the body would need to increase by a factor of 200. The heart rate would also be required to increase by a factor of 200. It is not considered plausible that the body would survive this.