In extreme cold

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
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How long can an ordinary man last under extreme cold conditions?

Let's say he has thermal clothings but he's just stuck somewhere in the North Pole. He's lost. How much time does he has?

I ask this question because I saw on TV recently that magician David Blaine endured 62 hours inside an ice block retrieved from Alaska.

Bearing in mind that Blaine is an exceptional man, we ordinary folks would be less impressive in our own endurance feat.

If a man can train his body to endure such extreme conditions, surely there's a limit to how long he can go in suspended animation or something like that.
 
It depends on how well protected you are. Some people run much warmer than others, but if you put ANYONE in a pair of running shorts and then in -20 deg weather, they will die very quickly, no exceptions.

David Blaine is an entertainer trying to make it big. I would be very suspicious of any of his tricks.
 
id say depends how quick he is

if he just stands there then not long at all, an hour, probably less, without any arctic clothing, even with arctic clothing i doubt he would last the night out in the open

building a snow cave, igloo or something obviousley he can survive indefinately with food and fuel, bearing in mind the internal temperature of an igloo never drops below -10c if its made properly and with a single candle that can be raised to -4c
 
There is arcticwear, and there is ARCTICWEAR. If you have the best designed, warmest, modern ultra-cold weather gear you might last a surprisingly long time.

I agree with swede79 about the magician. They have some very impressive tricks, but they are still just tricks. The magic is getting people to suspend disbelief and fall for the act.
 
David Blaine can stay warm in the arctic because

HE IS AN EVIL SORCERER POSSESSED BY DEMONS FROM THE BOWELS OF HELL!:eek:

Because I am an incompetent wanderer possessing a belly of swill, I might last awhile in the arctic, but only with the aid of a well considered clothing system of layered, insulating fabrics. I like the cold, and do at least half of my camping in the late autumn and winter. Granted, Ohio is a little more temperate than the arctic circle, but simple preparation goes a long way.
 
There is a bunch of people here who have a habit of jogging in shorts at -20C, they seem to be in remarkably good health after 2 hours of running. So it is not instant death. There is a book called something like "Life at the extremes" that tells about human adaptability, have to look it up.

With proper clothing its as long as you can stay awake, after that you need some extra gear.

TLM
 
David Blaine doesn't have enough body fat to have survived that stunt w/o some kind of trickery.
 
Brothers & Sisters of C-O-L-D,
golok et alia,

There are tricks and then there is cold. Here's an explanatory site:

http://www.vnh.org/MACWO/

Wind chill charts will give you an indication as to when C-O-L-D is most devastating...It all has to do with wind. Wind seperates your external heat boundary layer causing the surface to cool. Once the external temps reach a critical point your extremities are no longer going to receive nominal blood flow. The body does this in order to keep the core temperature stable. Your head loses the most heat and will be the last extremity to succumb to the cold, thereafter followed by the lungs and finally the heart itself.

In one sense this sequence is a blessing. Drowning victims suffer less severe, if any, brain damage due to the lack of oxygen. Recovery rates are less successful as the patient's age increases, i.e. the younger the better.
Extreme temperatures are bearable if you can remain active and your head covered. Again, the extremities must be protected.

Lastly, immersion. Temperature loss is most severe under conditions of immersion. The North Atlantic, and other polar/sub-polar regions, freshwater lakes in winter, have water temps at or slightly above freezing. Heat loss is rapid.

Here are some of the best sites to help you understand:

http://www.boatwashington.org/hypothermia.htm

http://www.adventuresports.com/asap/ski/skihypo.htm

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mse-4/pfdcold.htm

How the body responds to the cold is an unknown variable. "Polar Bear" clubs the world over chop a hole in the ice and go for a "dip".
Sudden immersion can be invigorating or it can act like a heart attack due to the over-stimulation of the central nervous system. Your body can or cannot take the cold.

Kundalani is not Western mind!

Stay alert - Stay alive!

Regards,
Lance Gothic
Shibumi
 
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