What happens to your body at the top of Mount Everest - Andrew Lovering
Explore what happens in your body when you don’t acclimate to higher altitudes and the dangers of altitude sickness.
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If you teleported from sea level to the top of Mount Everest, things would go bad fast. At an altitude of 8,848 meters, you would likely suffocate in minutes. However, for people that make this journey over the course of a month, it’s possible to survive at the peak for hours. So what happens in our bodies that allows us to endure this incredible altitude? Andrew Lovering investigates.
Lesson by Andrew Lovering, directed by Vitalii Nebelskyi, and action creative agency.
Designed by Alexandra Bolotova
Animated by Volodymyr Boyko
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Пікірлер: 566
Fun fact: Staying at high altitudes before a competition is a form of legal doping in sports. As the athlete will have more red blood cells, they will be capable of more performance.
@marcusliou2812
Жыл бұрын
That’s why lots of athletes train in Colorado!
@recoveringsoul755
Жыл бұрын
Great point
@user-kh1vv6dt6d
Жыл бұрын
@@marcusliou2812 ㅂ7ㅂ7ㅂ71ㅣ1
@ElizabethMBoyd
Жыл бұрын
Laughing as someone who lives at 8,000 feet
@jakep8921
Жыл бұрын
How long does that increased red blood cell count last? Like when you return to compete how many days do you still have an advantage?
I just love how TedEd never runs out of animation styles
4:35 The Sherpa is the first thing that comes to my mind when you talk about people getting accustomed to high altitudes. They're the unsung heroes that helped many mountain climbers achieve the Himalayan mountains. Great video TED!
@anishdeshmukh4333
Жыл бұрын
Yes, it's they who are masters of the mountains!
@Daveluvutube
Жыл бұрын
They naturally and genetically have more haemoglobin than us regular ppl
@sablewoods7003
Жыл бұрын
Often making multiple trips up and down the mountain with weeks!🙏🏾👏🏾
@gunitheman
Жыл бұрын
Carrying heavy loads too they truly are unsung heroes
@dawasherpa8342
Жыл бұрын
No, that’s Andeans. Sherpas naturally have less hemoglobin because we’ve lived at high altitudes for about 30,000 years whereas Andeans have only had 10,000 years to adapt.
It is a good day, whenever ted ed posts
@michelleameyaw3419
Жыл бұрын
Fax😩😁
@Hannah_Rose98
Жыл бұрын
Absolutely
@meiyiii
Жыл бұрын
I can't agree more :D
@akshatdubey7904
Жыл бұрын
bad day whenever someone comments something useless
@daisy-mm3vk
Жыл бұрын
Today is a good good day
Being a casual Trekker, I must say Wim Hoff's breathing technique, also mentioned in the video, has been really helpful. We must let our body acclimatize before we make the ascend and to do that, we must focus on our breathing as it becomes prominent factor for acclimatization. Hence, this video is a must for those who wants to ascend mountains here in Nepal. P.s. I have reached the height of 5500m finishing 2 complete trekking circuits in a month.
@braedanclay5633
Жыл бұрын
Ok
@seannaomari2924
Жыл бұрын
That’s very cool
@tundra164
Жыл бұрын
ive reached higher LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
@tayar3797
Жыл бұрын
The sights must be beautiful
@rockinrocky000
Жыл бұрын
Going on a trek at 6200 next week. Wish me luck ☺️
Recently went to Spiti where average altitude was 4000m. Walking and hiking was not a pleasant experience. But gradually the body adjusted over days. Our bodies are indeed a marvel.
i am a mongolian and my dad always said we r adapted to the high altitude but i never saw it as anything drastic thinking anyone could survive it. but i saw the severity of it when a foreign family stayed in 2500km above and everyone started getting sick few days later. the little girl even had bright red cheeks when she came down. then last week i went to the same place and had zero discomfort. i guess dad was right
@anilpratap6952
Жыл бұрын
Most of Mongolia is flat terrain. The highest point is 4100m but that seems more of an exception. No idea what you meant by Mongols being better adapted for high altitude.
@moritzlang2251
Жыл бұрын
@@anilpratap6952 True, Mongolia is largely flat terrain, but it is also one of the tallest countries in the world in terms of average elevation as the plateaus are depressions from the 4 main mountain ranges in the country. I believe the average elevation is 1500m
@sirjanamanandhar180
Жыл бұрын
Damn, 2500km, how does the earth look like from up there?
@aa6eheia156
Жыл бұрын
@@sirjanamanandhar180 yeah he's very lucky to have been to space
@grindelwald_5306
Жыл бұрын
@@sirjanamanandhar180 hahaha we all made mistake 🤣
It cannot be said enough times: No one reaches the summit of Everest without the Sherpas. NO ONE past, present or future, including the greatest Western mountaineers, so show some humility. If you did not carry all the supplies to ABC, if you did not fix all the rope and the ladders yourself, you did not solo independently. FULL STOP!
@jonathanmather6897
Ай бұрын
Not true at all. Messner and Habeler did it without oxygen and without Sherpa guidance in 1975, and I guarantee you it would be done more often if it were legal, but the Nepalese government has long since regulated Everest ascents for both monetary, but also environmental reasons. You have to climb with sherpas now as a tourist, but this isn’t because it’s an impossible feat without them.
It’s so interesting seeing how altitude sickness can affect the body, especially considering I live at ~7000 feet and don’t feel anything at all, but family members from sea level can get a little sick sometimes when visiting
@TheWatev123456789
Жыл бұрын
What part of the world do you live in?
@MarkWTK
Жыл бұрын
Bolivian?
@kenmore01
Жыл бұрын
@@TheWatev123456789 Could be anywhere in the mountains.
@Xavi98Xavi
Жыл бұрын
Altitude here in Mexico City is about ~2,480 meters (8,100 feet). Have lived here my whole life, never experienced AMS.
@dorkydoodle3573
Жыл бұрын
@@TheWatev123456789 I live in Colorado in the Rockies
I already have blood pressure issues since childhood. Few months ago went to Peru. What an incredible country. The highest place we walked at was 5000 meters and let me tell you, it’s not fun lol. I was focused on breathing way more than enjoying the view. Literally breathtaking views. Every movement exhausts you
@IIISentorIII
10 ай бұрын
everyone has blood pressure.
A month ago I climbed to one of the highest summits in my country, mount Cotopaxi at 5898 meters of altitude. While reaching the top, there where instances where I experienced fatigue and a shortage of breath but overall the adrenaline and will to achieve your goal always makes you reach the highest summits! Also, I have lived my whole life above 2500 meters of altitude, I would live to know how this had affected my body. :) blessings from Ecuador 🇪🇨
@recoveringsoul755
Жыл бұрын
I would subtract the altitude you normally live at and consider that sea level for you, and calculate the elevation gained from there
@keedee4761
Жыл бұрын
Congrats for summiting such height💪
@adrihooijer536
Жыл бұрын
Recently I visited the Three-Border Region, the highest mountain of the Netherlands 🇳🇱. A whopping 323 meters above sealevel. Yess we redefined a mountain as anything above 300m otherwise we wouldn't have mountains. And it is like dubble the hight of the second highest 'mountain' (hill) (171m). And -100 times (yes "-") as high as I live! (I live 3 meters below sea level).
@richardthomas5362
10 ай бұрын
Blessings from Colorado in the USA. We are not quite that high (around 1600 meters) but we notice a difference.
@titanfitlifestyle
10 ай бұрын
That height is the base camp of Everest😅
I appreciate the altitude in metric terms. Hope world aviation and navigation system be unified, too.
@el7284
Жыл бұрын
*angry freedom noises*
@angrypastabrewing
Жыл бұрын
I prefer Imperial units aka Freedom units
@recoveringsoul755
Жыл бұрын
I have trouble converting that, only went mountain climbing in America
@msakbar12345
Жыл бұрын
im asian and every time american using feet, i got confuse who's feet they talking about ???
It’s so crazy how our bodies stay alive for so long and can adapt to so much
@jvjjjvvv9157
27 күн бұрын
it is pretty amazing how differently bodies can react to stimuli, too. Several times I've seen people faint in cable cars when the altitude was not even 2000m, whereas I've gone from 2000m to 4000m and back in a one day hike, at a pretty strong pace, and I felt almost nothing at all until I was close to the top (I was probably at a bit climatized to the 2000m altitude to being with). Or, for example, I cycled the Pamir Highway with a friend and at 4000m we were going fast with our bikes like it was nothing, feeling no differently from how you'd feel at sea level (we had also had some days to climatize).
The human body is so amazing, to be able to adapt to situations like that is crazy! Also, slightly unrelated but this narrator has such a wonderful voice. So calming and relaxed.
So, people that climbed the mount Everest are just really skilled, strong, and lucky to the point were scientists don't even know how they did it. Amazing!
@helveticaneptune537
Жыл бұрын
No they are just rich, the sherpers are the real climbers
@catdogmousecheese
Жыл бұрын
Actually, climbing Everest isn't as impressive today as it was 50 years ago. There are actually entire travel agencies that specialize in helping people climb Everest; they'll plan your route, tell you exactly what supplies you'll need, and get you in contact with a local guide. In fact, a large percentage of Nepal's national GDP is tourism from people wanting to climb or at least see Everest.
@helveticaneptune537
Жыл бұрын
@@catdogmousecheese well said!!
@ChandLiu
Жыл бұрын
@@helveticaneptune537 The sherpas are amazing it’s what they do for a living. The climbers are not, it’s mostly hobbies or bucket list stuff. But 8000++ isn’t as easy as you might think.
@ChandLiu
Жыл бұрын
@@catdogmousecheese So very true, but the travel agencies are like your manager and coaching staffs. They’ll give you the game plan but can you run it and score? Or i build a race track for you and you have a car but can you drive fast enough and safely to the finish line? 50 years ago was badass i agree
High altitude can also result in an inflated ego.
Our human body is incredible, it can adapt with each environment. This video is informative. Thanks Ted for this video. Love it.
@jimbojimbo6873
Жыл бұрын
Your body can’t even last an hour on Mars lets no go overboard. We can’t survive in 90% of the world
@plasmahvh
9 ай бұрын
@@jimbojimbo6873 we were not built for mars. we were built for earth. and on earth we can endure even the toughest environments for short periods of time without the need of 1000s of years of adaptation. it is unbelievably rare that an organism as complex as humans can live in such a wide variety of environments whilst remaining human. Also please don't bring up arguments such as living at the bottom of the Mariana Ttench cause nothing remotely as complex as humans can.
Can't get over the brilliance of the animation.
The content itself is awesome but the animations are on a whole different level!
@andaction.agency
Жыл бұрын
So nice to read this!
I like the acknowledgment of the traditional names of Mount Everest
Extra info: Hemoglobin have Iron, oxygen bind to iron that way hemoglobin carries oxygen. At higher altitude this binding affinity of hemoglobin decreases
You should do one of these to talk about what the body experiences when diving!
The tiny Tibetan Flag made my day! Thank you 💖💖💖
@bonbonquest
Жыл бұрын
Yes omg same!!!
These sorts of animations makes learning any concept so interesting!!
Climbing slow and steady is the key!
Love to live in high altitudes! Quito, Ecuador (2800 m/9186 ft)
This animation style is simple yet adorable
It would have been interesting to have included an explanation of the "death zone." This video talks about 1500, 2500, 4000m altitude, but Everest is nearly 9000m tall, making it very different from getting altitude sickness at 2500m.
@Tirelesswarrior
10 ай бұрын
Most climbers use oxygen assisted machines. He is talking about a hypothetical situation where it is attempted without equipment
@plasmahvh
9 ай бұрын
@@Tirelesswarrior Reinhold Messner did it solo and without supplemental oxygen. It's possible, you just have to be clinically insane
I remember experiencing altitude sickness the first time I hiked in Park City, Utah. I had a headache but I was okay
ted ed you are amazing, but these animations are at another level !
Ted Ed makes very creative and visually appealing videos.
Thank you for this video ted ed
Every trekker should watch this video !!
the content is absolutely and undoubtedly brilliant, the animation? impeccable!!!👌👌👌
Ted Ed is the best Education Channel and it teaches me more than my wasted life in School...Thanks Ted Ed 💓💯
This video actually makes so thankful that I'm actually afraid of heights!
i will summit everest one day, claiming it!
@okman9684
Жыл бұрын
Congrats on doing it 🎉
@itsoracle
Жыл бұрын
demon
@dontsleephungry716
3 ай бұрын
Sure 💀
@aliyaspahic
2 ай бұрын
Nobody cares 🥱
@AmyHoward-lq5tg
2 ай бұрын
Keep dreaming.
Thanks Team TED -Ed for sharing this knowledge...Best wishes
Person with South American/Andean roots: we do indeed not get sick so easily in altitudes. I’ve travelled and walked numerous times in altitudes of 5000m and it’s kind of a running gag among us to see all the tourists being sick outside of their busses along the way. It goes even as far as having great lung volume, even without training for it, needing very little water to drink and having very thick skin whose pores won’t open up easily. We’re literally built to live in arid regions of very high altitudes, but, even we do know our limits. Some of those mountaineers think they’re gods, they’re too confident, and that’s how they end up struggling.
Altitude Sickness can be a philosophical term also. Some people's soul becomes sick as they reach the heights in life which is more materialistic and sometimes inhumane.
@anotheryoutubeaccount5259
5 ай бұрын
That's the most mindless thing I've ever read.
@cynicmax
5 ай бұрын
@@anotheryoutubeaccount5259 thanks mann
great video very informative thank you
Awsome Information, Thanks.
4:42 shoutout to drawing of Jerzy Kukuczka at the right, I'm a fan of his. Thanks for this video TED ED
Thank you TED-Ed for this amazing cooperation ❤ Our team enjoyed the whole process of animation creation 🎬 Big hug from all of us from Ukraine 🇺🇦❤
I ride a motorcycle around the world and via the highest roads in the world. We would go from 1000m to 5000m to 2000m to 6000m all in a single day which is the worst way to acclimatize. I was thankfully absolutely fine and never noticed the difference but but two riding mates massively suffered. Ever since I have been fascinated how different people react to altitude
Loved this video, so much, love the animation, love it so much, great explanation
Recently I went to do EBC track, even going to the base camp at 5364 meter is enough challenging . Summiting a peak above 8k needs a lot time for being mentally and physically capable.
@IIISentorIII
10 ай бұрын
I once lost a Done up there ( it got stuck) and I had to go up Everest to retrive it.
@NothingButSilicone
5 ай бұрын
I’m considering paying the $10k to do base camp 2. How terrifying did the Khumbu Icefall look in person?
@sureshvishnoi111
4 ай бұрын
One of the the dangerous part of the route to the peak is Khumbu icefall, as its dynamic, continuously & slowly moving. Its huge and magnificent. if you have technical skills then I think you can manage it. Fear will always be there @@NothingButSilicone
I was just in the mountains (avg. height: 5,800ft) for a whole week last week- I never knew there were so many things that could happen besides your ears popping-
@recoveringsoul755
Жыл бұрын
I hiked the highest mountain in the lower 48, just under 14,500 feet, no idea what that is in meters. We started at around 4,000 feet, first few days gained 3,000 feet each day, then some ups and downs. Coming from sea level and doing the whole thing in a week doesn't really give you time to acclimate. Need a few days at each elevation. For some reason, women are less likely to get altitude sickness, despite smaller lungs and hearts. When COVID started it was affecting men more, and they were saying it was similar to altitude sickness. Also heard certain blood types of people were able to handle High elevations better for some reason
That is mind blowing ♥️♥️
Good to know about something I’ll probably never experience myself
Im currently reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. This video will help me understand the story and the tragedy better. Thank you!
1.5 months in Nairobi ~1700m above sealevel and my hemoglobin went from 154 to 174. I live at sealevel.
This was soo good
Hey Ted-Ed, can y'all do a video about Avalanches and how to be safe when they happen please? I think it's very important that everyone knows how scary they are.
ah, nice flat solid ground on a normal height, just what I want under my feet after watching this!
Very nice video. It would help to add in the end the number of lives that have been lost because they couldn’t aclámate. While it is not impossible to climb Mount Everest, it’s not for everyone. Even those who have years of experience and fitness on their belt have died and will continue to do so if they don’t respect the mountain the way it should.
The only issue I had when I hiked mountain Arjuna (almost 3400m) was that it was so hard to boil water due to thinner oxygen in the air.
@recoveringsoul755
Жыл бұрын
Yeah there is less air pressure pushing down on the surface of the water, so it appears to boil faster, but it's not really up to boiling temperature, so you need to let it boil for a few minutes
@blueleafy7167
4 ай бұрын
I went to 2916m at my local ski resort and I was fine
adaptation process is so amazing with so many smart changes made throughout the body. it must be result of design, wisdom. we can nurture this gift but it's strange to claim "we as humanity did it.
This happened to me. I flew from the east coast to Tahoe. We drove straight up the mountain. Within 2 days I felt like I was drowning. My lungs filled with fluid. I went back down to Reno and was fine again.
Amazing information
such an interesting and cool video and such cute animation !! ☺️ ted ed making our days brighter as per usual
This video brings back a lot of bad memories
Although we often forget it like any other animal, we are extreme survivalists capable of surviving some of the direst of situations.
Love ur videos
Really interesting and educational work. Thank you very much for this.
Nice video.
Thanks I was going to stay at mount everest For 30 days but when I watched this video I realized it was the worst choice of my life thank You ❤
I could listen to Addison Anderson talk for hours without getting tired
Amazing
めっちゃおもしろいし、アニメ凝ってて見ててめっちゃ楽しい
The human body is full of wonders!
Great video
Thanks,
@alphaomega1351
2 ай бұрын
You're welcome 😊
Love the you use meters
As a person living in a city 3600 meters above sea ( La Paz, Bolivia) i kinda feel like a superhuman after this video lmao
Adaptation is the Key.
I love theseeee
I love this channel, drawings are so cute
This video is legit giving me anxiety. I got altitude sickness climbing Mt. Fuji and had to turn around before reaching the top. It's the only item on my bucket list but I'm anxious to try again.
@ivanlow741
Жыл бұрын
Altitude sickness medicine exist and helps
@recoveringsoul755
Жыл бұрын
A few days at any elevation helps you acclimate.
Great
Very interesting!
I spent my life at sea level but moved to Colorado and moved to a mountain area at 7300ft. I did not know about AMS, but I was a mess for about 1 week. I had trouble walking and always felt dizzy.
Lov your story
Cool
well it is really good
Thanks for another cool video! I am wondering if there is any effect in the opposite way? If the one, who is born above 2000-3000m, goes to another country at sea level, what will happen?)
If you’re interested in this kind of stuff, I’d definitely suggest reading “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer, or watching the recent “Everest” movie that came out in 2015, based on the same expedition.
多謝曬粤語字幕
nice
wow!
See now I’m not an expert but I’m pretty sure it is getting to an altitude where you get sick but no really this once again is super cool vid and information I never knew I wanted to know
When I was a kid, I thought I wanted to climb Mt. Everest. But after watching this video, I thought, Nah, I’d give my body a break from all that stress.
As a disabled person, it is my physical goal/bucket list to be able to climb Mt. Everest! I want to show to other disabled ppl that no matter what your physical ailments, we CAN do ANYTHING!! Even climb the the tallest mountain in the world!
South America represent 😤😤 we living way up here in the andes
Would you please make a video about how high altitude affects our body in relation with flying with aircraft?
Mount everest and water... the most EPIC fight of my life....
At last ted ed post its ideas worth spreading
The animations are so cute!!
That's why it's challenging.
@danielledewitt1
Жыл бұрын
That and the fact everest is so steep with crevasses to cross.
☆feet and meters are difficult for me to imagine in a concrete way. it helped me to think of Mt. Everest as about 5 1/2 miles high. ☆ as a senior born across the pond I am embarrassed at how little I comprehend meters and centimeters. As a retired teacher I was more than reminded the other day trying to help a child measure something that twelve inches equaling one foot and thirty six inches equaling one yard makes absolutely no sense. But then again I don't do well with math or numbers.