Explorewhathappensinyourbodywhenyoudon’t acclimate to higher altitudes and the dangers of altitude sickness.--Ifyouteleported from sea level to the... Ifyouteleported from sea level tothetopofMountEverest, things would go bad fast. At an altitude of 8,848 meters,youwould likely suffocate in minutes.

Understanding the Context

WhathappenstoyourbodyinEverest's Death Zone?MountEverestis 29,029 feet tall. The final 4,029ft of the ascent is known as the Death Zone. This is because above 25,000ft thebodycan no longer acclimitise to the altitude; the lungs can't get enough oxygen and cells begin to die. There is a dangerous lack of oxygenatthetopofMountEverest.

Key Insights

One mountaineer says it feels like 'running on a treadmill and breathing through a straw'. At sea level, the air contains about 21 percent oxygen. Nothing short of exhilarating, say those who've made it tothetopofMountEverest's summit 29,029 feet above sea level,atthecruising altitude of a 747. The spectacular view aside, part of what makes the experience so exhilarating is that getting there is no walk in the park. “At altitude, thebodydeteriorates on a certain level.” Kedrowski summitedMountEverestin 2012, another brutal year on themountain, when overcrowding combined with a dangerous weather pattern to strand climbers in the “death zone” below the summit.

Final Thoughts

Ten people died. Theirbodiesremain on themountain, frozen in time. According to theMountEverestrescuers, it is almost impossible to reach them due to the extreme conditions. For many, these tragic remnants serve as a caution of the risks that await in the thin air of the death zone. WhathappenstoyourbodyatthetopofMountEverest- Andrew Lovering. What will 100mountainclimbers a day do?

The extreme conditions onMountEveresthave led to over 200bodiesof dead climbers being left on themountain, with most located in the high-altitude "death zone". Imagine being instantly transported from sea level to the summitofMountEverest. At an altitude of 8,848 meters, the barometric pressure is only about 33% of what it is at sea level, leading to a drastic reduction in available oxygen.