What Happens to the Human Body on Top of Everest

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Images Courtesy of Getty Images
Credits:
Narrator: Stephanie Sammann
Writer: Lorraine Boissoneault
Editor: Dylan Hennessy (www.behance.net/dylanhennessy1)
Illustrator: Jacek Ambrożewski
Illustrator/Animator: Kirtan Patel (kpatart.com/illustrations)
Animator: Mike Ridolfi (www.moboxgraphics.com/)
Sound: Graham Haerther (haerther.net)
Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster ( / forgottentowel )
Producer: Brian McManus ( / realengineering )
REFERENCES
[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_zone
[2] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
[3] www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest...
[4] www.usgs.gov/geology-and-ecol....
[5] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NB...
[6] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti....
[7] www.mounteverest.net/expguide/...
[8] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NB...
[9]www.frontiersin.org/articles/...
[10] onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...
[11] air.unimi.it/retrieve/dfa8b98...
[12] journals.physiology.org/doi/a...
[13] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
[14] www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/h...
[15] www.pnas.org/post/podcast/she...

[@willardSpirit]

Westerners climbing to the summit of Mt Everest: greatest achievement ever. Sherpas doing the same: just another afternoon hike up a mountain 💪

[@lollolgameslp]

My grandparents told me, that their trip to the school went over the Mt Everest. Was as normal for them as for the sherpas. xD

[@leventekalman3224]

Plus they're not just climbing the same mountain the same way the climbers, they also carry the climbers luggage with them

[@user-vv2wx4kc1k]

Getting paid Vs doing it for fun 😂

[@alliu6562]

For anyone else reading comments, please understand that Everest nowadays is a dump. People, usually tourists, have left behind gear, garbage, and literal dead bodies all over the mountain. Many of these things cannot be retrieved or cleaned due to the danger of reaching these areas in the first place. The romanticism of climbing Everest has brought so many people there, which has ruined its natural beauty.

[@jdubmaster]

@alliu6562 Sounds like your a hater let people live.

[@kylevanzandbergen3285]

@@jdubmasterwhen just letting people live leads to destruction and pollution, nah. Sounds like you just wanna call anyone championing personal responsibility a hater.

[@craz2580]

​@@jdubmastersounds like you are lacking good oxygenation to your brain

[@Lefthandpath94]

You sound broke

[@Bumbaclat]

Natural beauty? Do you think this is why people wanted to climb it? Have you not watched the full video too because all this junk and dead people are nothing but motivation to the egoist climbers. It doesn't have to look beautiful to be beautiful. The history and evidence make it always beautiful

[@vishalnihal2101]

Being a Nepali 🇳🇵, I got goosebumps when she talked about the special physiological changes in Sherpas.

[@IPIndie]

One could even say you got...chills.

[@MISTERKIC]

I am THE KING of Armchair Mountain Climbing. I fear no footage nor documentary.

[@turtlejeepjen314]

I saw a recent documentary about how the Sherpas have an actual genetic advantage that allows them to breathe the thin mountain air better then anyone else, & also natural physical endurace & better fitness. It was on Discovery Channel… wish I had that.🏆🏆

[@aa6eheia156]

​@@turtlejeepjen314 i think these Sherpas can be great for Space exploration missions where half oxygen is enough compared to normal lowlander astronauts

[@aa6eheia156]

​@@turtlejeepjen314 so if a NASA mission rocket/spacecraft has 30 days supply of oxygen for normal Americans, the Sherpas can survive for 60 days with same amount of oxygen

[@MarcPagan]

As a pilot, I find their climb without oxygen amazing. Flying privately in an unpressurized aircraft, I've had pax with hypoxia symptoms at 9,000 feet.

[@granadahills1017]

Flying high sounds like a great way to politely quite one's disagreeable mother-in-law. 😅

[@duncanbryson1167]

I was on a ski holiday to Vail about 30 years ago. One day, just going up in a chair lift from the village to the lower levels of the ski area had me breathing heavily. This was just sitting and not exerting myself. I was in my early 40s.

[@granadahills1017]

Yep. Although not a big "outdoorsman", I'm in very good shape. Yet, if kayaking or hiking above 3K or so, I notice it takes more effort.@@duncanbryson1167

[@whatshisface1390]

What’s pax?

[@granadahills1017]

passengers = pax@@whatshisface1390

[@spencerthompson1049]

It's amazing I had to the chance to meet Apa Sherpa who's summited Everest 21 times truly an incredible climber. I also went to high school with his children Tenjing, and Pemba did track together.

[@Val-in2sz]

This just made the case of Roberto Canessa and Nando Parado so much more amazing. They traversed the Andes mountains without proper equipment or even food for an Amazing 10 days!!

[@achick648]

andeez

[@DrewNorthup]

​@@achick648Regional spelling difference

[@tungsten2009]

@@DrewNorthup its a "deez nuts" joke. Why don't you climb a mountain.... andeez nuts

[@tungsten2009]

the Uruguayan football team guys?

[@user-vv2wx4kc1k]

Nah impossible Sherpas were carrying them 😂 no one can climb without them

[@im_a_climber2889]

As a Hobby mountaineer, i really appreciated to learn more about the biology behind it. Thanks for choosing this topic to make yet another great video.

[@zoopigeon96]

Was halfway through this video saying “are they even going to mention the Sherpas?”. Good job guys

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

I'm a climber, training currently for Denali. It's the most life affirming thing I've ever done. There's something profound about learning to not take breathing for granted, and mountains give you that lesson.

[@drirene57]

That’s kind of a sad statement. I hope that’s truly not the most “life-affirming” thing you’ve done.

[@murdock8068]

​@@drirene57 Your reply is what's sad..

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

@@drirene57 Well, unfortunately, not all of us can lead lives as exciting as yours, my dear! I must content myself with more meager pleasures 🙂

[@rommyhenley7039]

@@FishareFriendsNotFood972 man is unfazed. climb high man! mountain climbing is so different from the climbing I do at my gym

[@1TakoyakiStore]

What's interesting is that the anatomical advantages Sherpas have isn't unique to allow one to better handle stress at altitude. Certain native Andean populations also have anatomical differences to help live at altitude. But the interesting thing is these changes are different than that of the Sherpas as they evolved independently. Makes me wonder if a person who is half Andean and half Sherpa would get all of the high altitude benefits of each ethnicity?

[@spindoctor6385]

Those advantages that are genetic have been promoted by natural selection over a long period of time. You would not necessarily see all of those advantages pass down to a single individual, though it is possible. If the two populations were somehow geographically forced together and isolated then you would most likely see them present in most individuals after several generations. (I would guess maybe 8-10 but I studied genetics more in insect, not in human populations so it could be much longer. You would probably need experts in genetics, sociology, economics and statistics to get a good estimate) Modern science would also play a role. Where in the past a person not well adapted to the conditions would be less likely to survive, prosper and procreate to spread their genes to the next generation, now they are more likely. That along with the wider "world society" would probably slow down the rate that the genetic advantages would spread through the population.

[@someguyontheinternet7165]

If I remember correctly the Andean altitude adaptations have a lot to do with the make up of the red blood cells themselves binding oxygen more efficiently and their mitochondria throughout the body also found a way to produce something like 60% more ATP per oxygen molecule. Combine that with the Sherpas and you’d have a serious advantage. Maybe mix in some pacific island heart rate lowering and you could get it even further. The ultimate hypoxic resistant person.

[@JeremiahPTTN]

“Air sick lowlanders!” IYKYK -Rock

[@Satou-Akira71]

When you look at historical battles, it is always armies of Mountain tribe people who stand out by winning the most battles against numerical vastly superior enemies due to these physiobiological changes.

[@jacktyson8585]

As someone who is currently in their mountaineering documentary obsession, YESSSS this is just the video I needed!!! 🙌🏼

[@RyzawaVT]

I didn't really expect there to be a huge anatomical differences, but I really did expect that there was tons of sheer willpower & motivation involved.. Never underestimate how far somebody can go out of sheer stubbornness & abundant drive! The Sherpas are quite literally built different however...

[@e.solano3963]

The D measuring joke got my sub 🤣🙌 great video!!!

[@Direkin]

It's really incredible how fast the Kirati can climb these mountains. For us it's an arduous trek, but for them it's literally how they get to school every day. Ooh, Namche Bazaar. It's a real relief to get back there after coming down from the mountains.

[@Lauracastro516]

As a medical student who also happens to live at 2600 meters above sea level (Bogotá) watching this video was a delight. Not only all the information was tremendously accurate, but it is depicted in a visually pleasing and comprehensible way!!

[@Sunflowersarepretty]

One of my goals in life is to climb a tall mountain. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone. I know it seems unrelated but I guess this reminded me of it.

[@Enlitner]

Depending on what accounts as a tall mountain for you, you have some options where there are easy hikes up to the top. Mount Fuji definitely is a tall mountain that has a bus service up to close to the top and a reasonably easy hike for the rest.

[@spindoctor6385]

I find it amazing that the radius of the Earth is about 6400km and we can only survive unaided on a layer about 10km. Less than 0.15%.

[@derickcastillo9083]

I love your channel. You have a talent for clarity and precision. Thank you for doing these videos! I am a science teacher and I learn so much from you that helps me in my profession. Keep up the great work.

[@johnfox9169]

Excellent presentation 😊

[@chiptune_]

Just finished reading The Climber / Kakou no Hito the other day; the timing couldn't be any more perfect 😂 I have an entirely different view on mountaineering from just a week ago

[@b.28]

LOVE THIS!! I always loved your content but im most fascinated by the human body and our potentials. There are so many interesting things like our adaptations to specific sport/lifestyle through environmental or physiological causes. Would love to see you talk about it more!

[@rhyothemisprinceps1617]

Thanks for covering this interesting topic (human adaptations to hypoxia) again. Your previous video that covered the Bajau people's ability to do breath hold diving ('The Insane Biology of: Humans') was really great. I don't think some of these studies really get at what is going on at the level of cell & molecular biology, though. There are things about oxygen delivery to tissues and survival of hypoxia that I don't think are presently understood. An interesting adaptation that the Bajau ppl have is a variant in the carbonic anhydrase gene. Beluga whales and llamas have reduced or absent carbonic anhydrase II activity in RBCs. What's cool/weird is that RBC CAII activity in humans was upregulated via repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (was used to help ameliorate anosmia in patients with neurodegenerative diseases) - strange how brain stimulation changes enzyme activity in RBCs.

[@shivamthakur1176]

Loved this video ❤

[@pixselious]

Amazing video!

[@outlawdingo3020]

so many people have been to everest that theres an actual damaging track worn into the side of the mountain not to mention all the rubbish left behind since most of them think traversing the climb as light as possible helps greatly. the place is a ligit rubbish dump and probably one of the most littered places on earth

[@thatcorpse]

To be fair, 747's aren't built to be cruising at that altitude either. 😂

[@ojussinghal2501]

I feel like any documentary/explainer involving Sherpas should at least mention the exploitation that they deal with.

[@user-vv2wx4kc1k]

It's their choice to get paid or go work somewhere else 😂

[@StevieeeTV]

Amazing video. Next video suggestion, can you do a research on badjao people where why they can stay underwater for a longer period of time? It is good to showcase how the badjao people and the sherpa people can do such an amazing feats

[@inumber6]

Awesome video, as always. By the way, what kind of platform or app you use to create those animations ???

[@someguyontheinternet7165]

Being a pilot, I have some understanding of hypoxia and it just makes this so much more mind blowing. To put into perspective, the *base camp* is already roughly 50% higher than most popular trainer planes can even fly. It’s already more than 3k feet higher than when pilots are legally required to start using oxygen. By the time you reach the peak, if you were in an airplane without supplemental oxygen/pressurization, you would only have about two minutes of useful consciousness. It’s absolutely amazing that anyone has done it. The Sherpa’s adaptation also just makes me wonder what sort of environmental limits we as a species have if given enough time to adapt. How much less air, heat, food, water, light, ect could we survive without if generationally we adapted to it.

[@lewismassie]

I've known a few climbers (lowlanders mind you) and yeah, they're a special kind of determined.

[@JacobGeorge-ub6wi]

Love your videos

[@johnfox9169]

I would never, ever jeopardize my brain, my central "computer ", to see if O2 deprivation from high altitude, could cause permanent damage!! WTF!!

[@japorto100]

Nice very interesting topic! My question is do sherpas have any advantages/disadvanteges in low altitudes?

[@pwagner7616]

You are doing great job. Greetings from Poland.

[@lasercraft32]

Someday in the distant future, aliens are going to observe and study our behaviors and wonder why the heck we climb mountains, and question what evolutionary purpose it serves... Then when they realize humans seemingly do it just for "fun," they'll be amazed at such a huge scientific discovery.

[@Istandby666]

Making an atmospheric breathing apparatus that will help in increasing the pressure for a human to breathe better.

[@alphaomega1351]

I'm gonna climb it in one day in my birthday suit only. No oxygen tanks necessary! 😳

[@MysteriousFuture]

The cold will kill you first before the hypoxia 😂😂😂

[@turtlejeepjen314]

saw a recent documentary about how the Sherpas have an actual genetic advantage that allows them to breathe the thin mountain air better then anyone else, & also natural physical endurace & better fitness. It was on Discovery Channel… wish I had that.🤔🏆

[@CheapRidesAutoSales]

230 people plus all the sherpas.

[@benmcreynolds8581]

My imagination can't help but ponder about "What if we leaned fully into scientific research around genetic modification?" ~I know our society has a very paranoid stigma against this but in reality this niche of science could be the thing that improves and adapts our life's in many different beneficial ways. Improving our health, preventing illness, gaining adaptations, the list goes on.. I hope we will get to see cutting edge science get done and fully accepted in my lifetime. (as well as seeing modern nuclear energy options get utilized all around to evolve our power grid) we definitely

[@tyreewadsworth1593]

I feel like sherpas already beat that before these guys.

[@AD-lt7jr]

Should be some studies about nims purja physiological characteristics

[@keithb7981]

If this inter sted you, read the book The Brotherhood of the Rope, Crles Houston. Charles was an Army AirCrp Reaseach Physician & elite high altitude climbers and researcher. The first to study the issues covered here

[@berttorpson2592]

This makes me excited for the creation of the gene seed

[@Absolukely]

I will never understand why anybody besides sherpas would do this to themselves

[@deadsykeink3107]

THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL

[@Davethreshold]

I love all your content, but you talking about us Humans is unique! That one shot of the Gent climbing straight vertically is amazing. I agree with you: I don't get them either! ❤It is amazing how the human body can adapt well to some situations, but not others.

[@rhyothemisprinceps1617]

Did these studies measure the spleen size of the mountaineers?

[@thegrumpydragon7601]

Do the Sherpa have any negative or positive effects being at sea levels

[@amerz2477]

Excellent

[@larcomj]

@0:39 i can here the sherpas saying "hold me beer".

[@larsvanhellemondt2851]

Sherpa are the GOAT

[@758fiyuhbyrd9]

Some people think evolution is like pokemon or something. Thousands of years, very small adaptations but it allows them to thrive in an environment that others find it difficult to just put on clothes. It's kinda similar to the Bajau people.

[@RemiliaVampire]

The Sherpa remind me of Rift Valley Kenyans. These Kenyans are just a few thousand but hold the top marathon times in the world!

[@bentownsend4017]

0:46 is not a clip of everest, it is a flipped recording of the mountains surrounding the mer de glace under mont blanc, france

[@mukundanm2666]

Link for the research papers pls

[@Kali_naggin]

3:08 They have will power to get up there High.. Will power is more powerful then any kind of magic

[@RokStembergar]

When people do SciFi, many of them have a concept of the hybernation chamber. Maybe that chamber is more 'dimensional' as currently thought of

[@yookalaylee2289]

Climbing Everest would be more impressive if there werent such a huge monetary barrier to entry. I’m sure you’d find a huge portion of the population capable of ascending easily, but we will never know because it’s a rich persons “spartan race”.

[@Viewer-zs6xj]

First to another amazing video from Real Science !!!

[@aurtisanminer2827]

Something I learned by mistake is swimming underwater as long as you can hold your breath can help your body operate more efficiently on less oxygen. I imagine high altitude exercise works better to acclimate you but that isn’t always so feasible.

[@thefirstmissinglink]

I live at 9k ft. I get lethargic at low altitude. Taking extra oxygen does nothing to me. My geekey friend, tall thin and not athletic comes up to 10k from Florida every year to visit. Both of us over 60y old. He too gets no boost from O2. I generally feel better at higher altitude. My father, now passed away, used to drink alcohol and every time he came to visit from Kansas would get pneumonia and land in the ER. When I go hiking it will take me at least an hour to get into the rhythm sometimes more after which I really don't need to stop and rest. I suppose my family history of asthma and allergies has created a different metabolism to compensate. I encounter lots of people who suffer at altitude where I am.

[@gentlesnot1864]

Can you hold your breath for a long time?

[@DrewNorthup]

I think that might be the most blunt comment about Messner I've ever heard! 😂🤣 That said, most exploration of this sort, aside from a certain portion of the population, is as much self-exploration as anything else. It is awesome to be one of the first humans ever to go somewhere (something I have done), but it very often is about knowledge and not balls.

[@ustepup]

Make a video on Mount Kailash

[@lilyHussey]

Please more ocean content

[@willestus9120]

Messenger is an exceptional human being he's climbed all the 8000 M Peaks without supplemental oxygen and crossed the continent of Antarctica solo. He said he took two breaths for one step

[@bluepurplepink]

Holy Gigachad Sherpas

[@emaciatedunicorn]

I love your videos, and I love that you brought up the fact that sherpas have been mountaineering long before europeans, but I kind of wish you mentioned the environmental damage everest climbers bring and how stuff just doesn't decompose up there. this once beautiful mountain is becoming overrun with trash and feces and dead bodies and I think foreign everest climbers really need to stop altogether.

[@gormauslander]

Do finders keepers rules apply to mount Everest? If someone hypothetically wanted some free human bones... Asking for a friend

[@Voicelet]

Sherpa are like the opposite of Bajau who can dive for ten minutes at a time. Though this makes me wonder how Sherpa people do at the sea level.

[@lhhh88]

Imagine if they had a child...

[@Bumbaclat]

One day I want to try

[@Bumbaclat]

No supplementary oxygen of course.

[@rutufn0596]

Not so extreme when it's about to take back their trashs ...

[@kakaosmagergodt]

wait so temp you say in F and speed in kmph ? choose metric or imperial xD

[@nadionmediagroup]

We might want to train a few of those indigenous divers that have evolved ridiculous lung capacity over long time spans.

[@RobinErik]

Nepal is making money now, but who will clean Everest and from which money?

[@cristosocorromedina580]

❤

[@duncanbryson1167]

I posted this as a response to someone else here: I was on a ski holiday to Vail about 30 years ago. One day, just going up in a chair lift from the village to the lower levels of the ski area had me breathing heavily. This was just sitting and not exerting myself. I was in my early 40s at the time.

[@Xsuprio]

15:11 .... they... they're Jedi?

[@katarzynak118]

That really sucks that you mention only those 2 names. Especially that Messner was just lucky being first and is also not the singular and very much not representative how his body behaved in so called death zone.

[@WalterWhite1911]

The fact that you don't understand why some people risk their lives to climb the Everest tells a sad story about you.

[@rvdeddrift]

Ah, hahahahaha! Markie Marks! Fantastic!!!! Great content, as usual too! But the MArkie Marks giddy-up is uh-mazing!

[@valtonen77]

What I learned from this video : Šerpas dont get thick.

[@amerz2477]

What about nims?

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Sherpas are the true heroes of high altitude

[@spindoctor6385]

Screw that, I turn my heater on when it hits 12 C. I could deal with the lack of sleep but I am soft when it gets cold.

[@SofaKingShit]

I don't have much brian left. I don't wish to become a maroon.

[@Caelia7]

I watched my mother in law die slowly from lack of oxygen. Makes me angry that these people do this to themselves

[@maxvaessen]

Markie marks! 😂

[@kloassie]

3:30 What I find most remarkable is that the Indian plate coincidentally just _happened to be_ already perfectly pre-shaped to fit *_exactly_* into the Eurasian plate 😯

[@palpasheev]

“i’ve been looking forward to this” -Dooku

[@3Leches]

Cried 6 times

[@sailorivo9659]

Good to see your face, we love the content and your voice is super clear, keep it up!

[@varunprakash6207]

Climbing Mountain High Altitude The Shrepa climbing mountain very easily The Psychological and Ethnic group Human Body Adaptions of High Attitude Mountain climbers

[@gormauslander]

Eyyyyy face reveal

[@mrtriathlondude]

Airsick lowlanders

[@MsFarant]

They set a bad example. People followed and will risk their lives for an achievement nobody needs.

[@EthanQ]

Let's not forget the thousand of pounds of trash these people hauled up there to dump...

[@ethanstyant9704]

And the permanently frozen piss and shit