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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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.
That’s why lots of athletes train in Colorado!
Great point
@@marcusliou2812 ㅂ7ㅂ7ㅂ71ㅣ1
Laughing as someone who lives at 8,000 feet
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
It is a good day, whenever ted ed posts
Fax😩😁
Absolutely
I can't agree more :D
bad day whenever someone comments something useless
Today is a good good day
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!
Yes, it's they who are masters of the mountains!
They naturally and genetically have more haemoglobin than us regular ppl
Often making multiple trips up and down the mountain with weeks!🙏🏾👏🏾
Carrying heavy loads too they truly are unsung heroes
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.
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.
Ok
That’s very cool
ive reached higher LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
The sights must be beautiful
Going on a trek at 6200 next week. Wish me luck ☺️
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
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.
@@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
Damn, 2500km, how does the earth look like from up there?
@@sirjanamanandhar180 yeah he's very lucky to have been to space
@@sirjanamanandhar180 hahaha we all made mistake 🤣
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.
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 🇪🇨
I would subtract the altitude you normally live at and consider that sea level for you, and calculate the elevation gained from there
Congrats for summiting such height💪
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).
Blessings from Colorado in the USA. We are not quite that high (around 1600 meters) but we notice a difference.
That height is the base camp of Everest😅
I appreciate the altitude in metric terms. Hope world aviation and navigation system be unified, too.
*angry freedom noises*
I prefer Imperial units aka Freedom units
I have trouble converting that, only went mountain climbing in America
im asian and every time american using feet, i got confuse who's feet they talking about ???
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
everyone has blood pressure.
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.
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
What part of the world do you live in?
Bolivian?
@@TheWatev123456789 Could be anywhere in the mountains.
Altitude here in Mexico City is about ~2,480 meters (8,100 feet). Have lived here my whole life, never experienced AMS.
@@TheWatev123456789 I live in Colorado in the Rockies
It’s so crazy how our bodies stay alive for so long and can adapt to so much
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).
Our human body is incredible, it can adapt with each environment. This video is informative. Thanks Ted for this video. Love it.
Your body can’t even last an hour on Mars lets no go overboard. We can’t survive in 90% of the world
@@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!
So nice to read this!
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!
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.
I like the acknowledgment of the traditional names of Mount Everest
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!
No they are just rich, the sherpers are the real climbers
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.
@@catdogmousecheese well said!!
@@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.
@@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.
These sorts of animations makes learning any concept so interesting!!
the content is absolutely and undoubtedly brilliant, the animation? impeccable!!!👌👌👌
The tiny Tibetan Flag made my day! Thank you 💖💖💖
Yes omg same!!!
You should do one of these to talk about what the body experiences when diving!
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.
Most climbers use oxygen assisted machines. He is talking about a hypothetical situation where it is attempted without equipment
@@Tirelesswarrior Reinhold Messner did it solo and without supplemental oxygen. It's possible, you just have to be clinically insane
ted ed you are amazing, but these animations are at another level !
Extra info: Hemoglobin have Iron, oxygen bind to iron that way hemoglobin carries oxygen. At higher altitude this binding affinity of hemoglobin decreases
Thank you for this video ted ed
Love to live in high altitudes! Quito, Ecuador (2800 m/9186 ft)
Ted Ed is the best Education Channel and it teaches me more than my wasted life in School...Thanks Ted Ed 💓💯
Thanks Team TED -Ed for sharing this knowledge...Best wishes
Climbing slow and steady is the key!
4:42 shoutout to drawing of Jerzy Kukuczka at the right, I'm a fan of his. Thanks for this video TED ED
Ted Ed makes very creative and visually appealing videos.
This animation style is simple yet adorable
Loved this video, so much, love the animation, love it so much, great explanation
I remember experiencing altitude sickness the first time I hiked in Park City, Utah. I had a headache but I was okay
great video very informative thank you
i will summit everest one day, claiming it!
Congrats on doing it 🎉
demon
Sure 💀
Nobody cares 🥱
Keep dreaming.
Every trekker should watch this video !!
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.
This video actually makes so thankful that I'm actually afraid of heights!
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!
Awsome Information, Thanks.
Im currently reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. This video will help me understand the story and the tragedy better. Thank you!
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.
I once lost a Done up there ( it got stuck) and I had to go up Everest to retrive it.
I’m considering paying the $10k to do base camp 2. How terrifying did the Khumbu Icefall look in person?
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
That is mind blowing ♥️♥️
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.
That's the most mindless thing I've ever read.
@@anotheryoutubeaccount5259 thanks mann
such an interesting and cool video and such cute animation !! ☺️ ted ed making our days brighter as per usual
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
This was soo good
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.
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
I went to 2916m at my local ski resort and I was fine
Really interesting and educational work. Thank you very much for this.
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 🇺🇦❤
Amazing information
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.
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-
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
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?)
I love this channel, drawings are so cute
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.
Love ur videos
The animations are so cute!!
Good to know about something I’ll probably never experience myself
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.
Nice video.
I love theseeee
Great video
1.5 months in Nairobi ~1700m above sealevel and my hemoglobin went from 154 to 174. I live at sealevel.
Although we often forget it like any other animal, we are extreme survivalists capable of surviving some of the direst of situations.
多謝曬粤語字幕
This video brings back a lot of bad memories
Amazing
Love the you use meters
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.
Altitude sickness medicine exist and helps
A few days at any elevation helps you acclimate.
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
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
Very interesting!
The human body is full of wonders!
Would you please make a video about how high altitude affects our body in relation with flying with aircraft?
South America represent 😤😤 we living way up here in the andes
As a person living in a city 3600 meters above sea ( La Paz, Bolivia) i kinda feel like a superhuman after this video lmao
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
Lov your story
I took deep breaths while watching this lol
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.
Here in Peru, we have some of the highest cities in the world: Junín City and Cerro de Pasco City, both at more than 4000 meters above sea level. Also, you can pass from 5 km to 3 km in less than 2 hours in car (Ticlio), the experience is nuts
you are wrong, they are not above 4000
@@staarren8119 One thing is Huancayo (3200) that is the capital of the Junin region, and another Junin as a city, that is located at 4105 meters above sea level. Cerro de Pasco is located at 4330
well it is really good
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.
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.
I feel accomplished just to watch someone else attempt this. Because I like flat ground and good life. Thanks to God!
AMS happened to me once before a ski race. I crashed mid course because i suddently forgot how to ski.
can you activate this adaptation from our body on purpose without being on a high altitude for better performence at sports?
An underestimated risk which are not many people aware of are blood clots. Blood gets "thicker", a lot of people are dehydrated and blood pressure in the legs is different than on sea level. A lot of people suffer from thrombosis or blood clots in their lungs when going above 2500m.
At last ted ed post its ideas worth spreading
Thanks,
You're welcome 😊
☆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.
Adaptation is the Key.
I’m getting weak as I am listening to this.