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Science
Friday > Archives
> 1997
> May
> May 30, 1997
High Altitude Physiology
What the high life does to the body and mind.
Forty-four years ago this month, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were
the first climbers to reach the top of Mount Everest, the world's highest
peak. Since then, over 600 climbers have done the same -- but over 100
have died in the attempt. High altitude organisms have evolved special
ways of dealing with the conditions, but human interlopers must face
serious challenges to their health. We'll look at the effects that high-altitude
climbing have on climbers' bodies, and their minds.
Guests:
Peter Hackett, MD
Author,
"Mountain Sickness: Prevention, Recognition, and
Treatment" (American Alpine Club, 1980)
Denver, Colorado
Gail Rosenbaum
Associate Director of Psychology Laboratories
Harbor View Medical Center
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington
Books/Articles Discussed:
"Into
Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster" by Jon Krakauer.
1997, Villard Books.
"Mountain
Sickness: Prevention, Recognition and Treatment" by Peter H. Hackett.
1980, American Alpine Club.
Related links:
http://vitalsoft.org.org.mx/mja/everest.97/index.html
High-altitude health sites:
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/altitude.html
The Himalayan Rescue Association:
http://www.gorge.net/hra/
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