Everest, the first ascent: the untold story of the man who made it possible

Presenter: Harriet Tuckey

Published: October 2013

Age: 14-19 and upwards

Views: 660 views

Tags: Everest;physiology;altitude;oxygen;hydration;food

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: Royal Society

The conquest of Everest by a British team in 1953 has always been celebrated as a triumph of heroic leadership, team work and courageous climbing, but the vital role that scientific innovation played in the success of the expedition has never been widely acknowledged.ÊNow, sixty years after the event, Harriet Tuckey tells the story of her father Dr Griffith Pugh, a physiologist and expert on extreme conditions, who made the first ascent possible by solving the key physiological problems of climbing at very high altitudes. Now, sixty years after the event, Harriet Tuckey tells the story of her father Dr Griffith Pugh, a physiologist and expert on extreme conditions, who made the first ascent possible by solving the key physiological problems of climbing at very high altitudes.