Human Limits
Medical science is always learning more about how much a body can take. Here’s current thinking on the extremes of human endurance. Most numbers are estimates for a 150-pound male with no special gear.

Art
Jason Lee
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Shelley Sperry
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Paul Heltzel
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Stefan Estrada
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0
6,000 feet
9,000 feet
12,000 feet
15,000 feet
4
1
103°
105.2°
107.6°
108.2°
3
2
20°
40°
50°
60°
2
3
180°
200°
300°
450°
3
4
144 feet
180 feet
282 feet
400 feet
3
5
2 minutes
3 minutes
5 minutes
11 minutes
4
6
15 percent
20 percent
30 percent
40 percent
4
7
20 days
30 days
45 days
50 days
3
8
5 days
7 days
14 days
20 days
2
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