British climbers become first to scale Mount Everest using Xenon gas
Four British climbers have become the first to summit Mount Everest using Xenon gas to accelerate their acclimatisation, shaving weeks off the traditional expedition timeline.The historic ascent, organised by Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures, marks a new chapter in high-altitude mountaineering.Typically, climbers spend several weeks or even months on Everest, gradually adjusting to the mountain's thin air before attempting the 8,848-metre summit. Rapid ascents without proper acclimatisation are considered extremely dangerous due to the risk of altitude sickness and hypoxia.advertisement
However, the British team, after inhaling Xenon gas in Germany and sleeping in high-altitude simulation tents at home, managed to reach the summit in less than five days after leaving London. They also used supplemental oxygen during their climb, as is standard practice.
Climbers spend several weeks or even months on Everest. (Photo: AFP)
WHAT IS XENON GAS?Xenon, a rare, colourless, and odourless gas with known anaesthetic and medical uses, was pivotal to the team's success.Known for its stability and lack of reactivity, xenon is found in trace amounts in Earth's atmosphere. Despite being rare, it has several important applications.advertisementIt is used in high-intensity lighting such as flash lamps, strobe lights, and car headlights, thanks to its ability to emit a bright white light. In the medical field, xenon is sometimes used as a general anesthetic due to its non-toxic and non-reactive nature.Perhaps most fascinatingly, xenon plays a role in space exploration, serving as a fuel for ion propulsion systems in satellites and deep-space missions. I'Xenon improves the acclimatisation and protects the body from altitude sickness and the effects from the hypoxic environment,' said Lukas Furtenbach, the expedition organiser and a veteran of four Everest ascents. While guides have previously used Xenon, this is the first time it has been employed by regular climbers.The team highlighted that the shorter expedition not only made the climb safer but also reduced environmental impact. 'Shorter expedition also means less garbage, less resources, less human waste in this sensitive environment,' he noted, addressing Everest's growing waste problem.Not everyone is convinced. American guide Adrian Ballinger of Alpenglow Expeditions called the use of Xenon a 'stunt,' but acknowledged, 'If these climbers are proud of this style, then that's their choice.'With Nepal issuing 468 climbing permits this season and over 200 successful summits so far, the British team's innovative approach may signal a new era for Everest expeditions.Must Watch
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Indian Express
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Business Standard
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US scientists warn that trump's cuts will set off a brain drain
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Within hours, he had an email from China, offering to move his lab to 'any city, any university I want,' he said, with a guarantee of funding for the next 20 years. Dr. Patapoutian declined, because he loves his adopted country. Many scientists just setting out on their careers, however, fear there is no other option but to leave. Scientific leaders say that's risking the way American science has been done for years, and the pre-eminence of the United States in their fields. China and Europe are on hiring sprees. An analysis by the journal Nature captured the reversal: Applications from China and Europe for graduate student or postdoctoral positions in the United States have dropped sharply or dried up entirely since President Trump took office. The number of postdocs and graduate students in the United States applying for jobs abroad has spiked. 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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Advanced Certification in Genomics launched
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