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From: steve@groucho.ucar.edu (Steve Emmerson)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: space news from April 2 AW&ST
Message-ID: <7524@ncar.ucar.edu>
Date: 1 Jun 90 19:04:59 GMT
References: <1990Jun1.044802.19753@utzoo.uucp>
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Organization: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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In <1990Jun1.044802.19753@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:

>In fact it is *just barely* possible to climb Mount Everest - 29,000ft --
>without oxygen.  It's been done.  It's so marginal that it is possible
>only because Everest is near the equator:  the overall atmospheric
>circulation of Earth, warm rising air at the equator moving north and
>then falling near the poles, slightly increases atmospheric density
>at high altitude near the equator, just enough to make the peak of
>Everest reachable.

Bear in mind that the individual is _dying_ while doing this.  It's only
because the stay is temporary that survival is possible.

There are no permanent human habitations above 18,000 feet.

Steve Emmerson        steve@unidata.ucar.edu        ...!ncar!unidata!steve