Mortals on Mount Olympus: A History of Climbing Everest Called Chomolungma (“goddess mother of the world”) in Tibet and Sagarmatha (“goddess of the sky”) in Nepal, Mount Everest once went by the pedestrian name of Peak XV among Westerners. That was before surveyors established that it was the highest mountain on Earth, a fact that came as something of a surprise—Peak XV had seemed lost in the crowd of other formidable Himalayan peaks, many of which gave the illusion of greater height. In 1852 the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India measured Everest's elevation as 29,002 feet above sea level. This remarkably accurate figure remained the officially accepted height for more than one hundred years. In 1955 it was adjusted by a mere 26 feet to 29,028 (8,848 m). The mountain received its official name in 1865 in honor of Sir George Everest, the British Surveyor General from 1830–1843 who had mapped the Indian subcontinent. He had some reservations about having his name bestowed on the peak, arguing that the mountain should retain its local appellation, the standard policy of geographical societies. Pretenders to the Throne Before the Survey of India, a number of other mountains ranked supreme in the eyes of the world. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Andean peak Chimboraso was considered the highest. At a relatively unremarkable 20,561 feet (6,267 m), it is in fact nowhere near the highest, surpassed by about thirty other Andean peaks and several dozen in the Himalayas. In 1809, the Himalayan peak Dhaulagiri (26,810 ft.; 8,172 m) was declared the ultimate, only to be shunted aside in 1840 by Kanchenjunga (28,208 ft.; 8,598 m), which today ranks third. Everest's status has been unrivaled for the last century-and-a-half, but not without a few threats. The most recent challenge came from a 1986 American expedition climbing K2 (28,250 ft., 8,611 m) in the Karakoram range. According to their measurements, K2 was actually 29,284 feet, beating Everest by a cool 256 feet. Had this figure been accepted, mountaineering history would have required drastic revision: Everest would have taken a back seat to K2, no longer thene plus ultraof geographical extremes. The Third Pole Once the North and South Poles had been reached by explorers, the next geographical feat to capture the international imagination was Everest, often called the Third Pole. Attempts to climb Everest began in the 1921, when the forbidden kingdom of Tibet opened its borders to outsiders. On June 8, 1924, two members of a British expedition, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, attempted the summit. Famous for his retort to the press—“because it's there”—when asked why he wanted to climb Everest, Mallory had already failed twice at reaching the summit. The two men were last spotted “going strong” for the top until the clouds perpetually swirling around Everest engulfed them. They vanished for good. Mallory's body was not found for another 75 years, and it did not clear up the mystery as to whether the two men made it to the top before the mountain killed them. Ten more expeditions over a period of thirty years failed to conquer Everest, with 13 losing their lives. Then, on May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand beekeeper, and Tenzing Norgay, an acclaimed Sherpa climber, became the first to reach the roof of the world. Their climb was made from the Nepalese side, which had eased its restrictions on foreigners at about the same time that Tibet, invaded in 1950 by China, shut its borders. World famous overnight, Hillary became a hero of the British empire—the news reached London just in time for Elizabeth II's coronation—and Norgay was touted as a symbol of national pride by three separate nations: Nepal, Tibet, and India. Into the Death Zone Although not considered one of the most technically challenging mountains to climb (K2 is more difficult), the dangers of Everest include avalanches, crevasses, ferocious winds up to 125 mph, sudden storms, temperatures of 40°F below zero, and oxygen deprivation. In the “death zone”—above 25,000 feet—the air holds only a third as much oxygen as at sea level, heightening the chances of hypothermia, frostbite, high-altitude pulmonary edema (when the lungs fatally fill with fluid) and high-altitude cerebral edema (when the oxygen-starved brain swells up). Even when breathing bottled oxygen, climbers experience extreme fatigue, impaired judgment and coordination, headaches, nausea, double vision, and sometimes hallucinations. Expeditions spend weeks, sometimes months, acclimatizing, and usually attempt Everest only in May and October, avoiding the winter snows and the summer monsoons. After Hillary and Norgay's ascent of Everest, other records were broken, including the first ascent by a woman, the first solo ascent, the first to traverse up one route and down another, and the first descent on skis.

Everest Is Higher Than Ever As of Nov. 11, 1999, the new official height of Mount Everest was announced as 29,035 feet, or 8,850 meters—6 feet, or 2 meters, higher than the previously accepted measurement. The new elevation was determined using satellite-based technology: the Trimble Global Positioning System (GPS). A team of seven climbers measured the mountain from the summit on May 5, 1999, collecting data from various GPS satellite receivers at the very top of Everest. It took the climbers a number of attempts over several years until they were able to successfully set up the equipment at the summit. Everest was first measured in 1852 in the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India, which established the peak as the highest on Earth. That figure (29,002 feet above sea level) remained Everest’s officially accepted height for more than one hundred years. The original 1852 measurement was remarkably accurate: in 1955 the elevation was adjusted by a mere 26 feet to 29,028 feet (8,848 meters).

New Island Emerges off the Coast of Germany Norderoogsand, a new island in the North Sea, is already a home to many birds and plants. By Jennie Wood A new island has appeared in the North Sea. A new island has emerged from the North Sea, off the coast of Germany, located sixteen miles from the German state, Schleswig Holstein. The 34 acre island has been named Norderoogsand, but it is being referred to as Bird Island because many birds, including sea gulls, grey geese, ducks, and peregrine falcons have been found there nesting or feeding. Forty-nine plant species have also been found on the island. The island appeared slowly over a ten year period from 2003 through 2013. The land mass emerged due to tidal action, not global warming. The island’s appearance surprised scientists because that area of the North Sea has strong winds and shifting tides. However, Norderoogsand was helped by its position between other islands. The surrounding islands helped to shelter it. Also, there have been very few storm surges in the area over the last decade. In early 2013, Martin Stock, a National Park Management biologist, said in a statement, “A strong storm flood could wipe the island out overnight. The plants do not have the roots necessary yet to bind the dunes together.” Other scientists have also warned that a major storm could destroy Norderoogsand, but, for now, birds and plants have a new home.

Climbing the Seven Summits About 350 mountaineers have climbed all "Seven Summits"—the highest peak on each of the seven continents. The first was Dick Bass, an American businessman, on April 30, 1985. ContinentMountainCountry and/or locationHeight FeetMeters AsiaMt. EverestTibet-Nepal29,0358,850 South AmericaMt. AconcaguaArgentina22,8346,960 North AmericaMt. McKinley (Denali)United States, Alaska20,3206,194 AfricaMt. KilimanjaroTanzania19,3405,995 EuropeElbrusRussia/Georgia18,5105,642 AntarcticaVinson MassifEllsworth Mts.16,0664,897 Australia1KosciuskoAustralia7,3102,228 1. Some climbers believe that the true Seven Summits should include Carstensz Pyramid (16,023 ft.) in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, rather than Australia's Kosciusko. Carstensz is the highest summit in Australia/Oceania, but strictly speaking, Oceania is not a continent.

Highest Mountain Peaks of the World The following table lists the highest mountain peaks of the world including mountain name, mountain range, vertical height, and location, according to the National Geographic Society. See Named Summits in the U.S. Over 14,000 Feet Above Sea Levelfor U.S. Peaks. See also Climbing the World's 14 8,000- meter Peaks, The Seven Summits, Mortals on Mount Olympus: A History of Climbing Everest, and the Everest Almanac. Mountain peakRangeLocationHeight ft.m Everest1 HimalayasNepal/Tibet29,0358,850 K2 (Godwin Austen) KarakoramPakistan/China28,2508,611 KanchenjungaHimalayasIndia/Nepal28,1698,586 Lhotse IHimalayasNepal/Tibet27,9408,516 Makalu IHimalayasNepal/Tibet27,7668,463 Cho OyuHimalayasNepal/Tibet26,9068,201 DhaulagiriHimalayasNepal26,7958,167 Manaslu IHimalayasNepal26,7818,163 Nanga ParbatHimalayasPakistan26,6608,125 AnnapurnaHimalayasNepal26,5458,091 Gasherbrum IKarakoramPakistan/China26,4708,068 Broad PeakKarakoramPakistan/China26,4008,047 Gasherbrum IIKarakoramPakistan/China26,3608,035 Shishma Pangma (Gosainthan)HimalayasTibet26,2898,013 Annapurna IIHimalayasNepal26,0417,937 Gyachung KangHimalayasNepal25,9107,897 Disteghil SarKarakoramPakistan25,8587,882 HimalchuliHimalayasNepal25,8017,864 NuptseHimalayasNepal25,7267,841 Nanda DeviHimalayasIndia25,6637,824 MasherbrumKarakoramKashmir225,6607,821 RakaposhiKarakoramPakistan25,5517,788 Kanjut SarKarakoramPakistan25,4617,761 KametHimalayasIndia/Tibet25,4467,756 Namcha BarwaHimalayasTibet25,4457,756 Gurla MandhataHimalayasTibet25,3557,728 Ulugh Muztagh KunlunTibet25,3407,723 KungurMuztagh AtaChina25,3257,719 Tirich Mir Hindu KushPakistan25,2307,690 Saser KangriKarakoramIndia25,1727,672 Makalu IIHimalayasNepal25,1207,657 Minya Konka (Gongga Shan)Daxue ShanChina24,9007,590 Kula KangriHimalayasBhutan24,7837,554 Chang-tzuHimalayasTibet24,7807,553 Muztagh AtaMuztagh AtaChina24,7577,546 Skyang KangriHimalayasKashmir24,7507,544 Ismail Samani Peak(formerly Communism Peak) PamirsTajikistan24,5907,495 Jongsong PeakHimalayasNepal24,4727,459 Pobeda Peak Tien ShanKyrgyzstan24,4067,439 Sia KangriHimalayasKashmir24,3507,422 Haramosh PeakKarakoramPakistan24,2707,397 Istoro NalHindu KushPakistan24,2407,388 Tent PeakHimalayasNepal24,1657,365 Chomo LhariHimalayasTibet/Bhutan24,0407,327 ChamlangHimalayasNepal24,0127,319 KabruHimalayasNepal24,0027,316 Alung GangriHimalayasTibet24,0007,315 Baltoro KangriHimalayasKashmir23,9907,312 Muztagh Ata (K-5)KunlunChina23,8907,282 ManaHimalayasIndia23,8607,273 BaruntseHimalayasNepal23,6887,220 Nepal PeakHimalayasNepal23,5007,163 Amne MachinKunlunChina23,4907,160 Gauri SankarHimalayasNepal/Tibet23,4407,145 BadrinathHimalayasIndia23,4207,138 NunkunHimalayasKashmir23,4107,135 Lenin PeakPamirsTajikistan/Kyrgyzstan23,4057,134 PyramidHimalayasNepal23,4007,132 ApiHimalayasNepal23,3997,132 PauhunriHimalayasIndia/China23,3857,128 TrisulHimalayasIndia23,3607,120 Korzhenevski PeakPamirsTajikistan23,3107,105 KangtoHimalayasTibet23,2607,090 NyainqentanglhaNyainqentanglha ShanChina23,2557,088 TrisuliHimalayasIndia23,2107,074 DunagiriHimalayasIndia23,1847,066 Revolution PeakPamirsTajikistan22,8806,974 Aconcagua AndesArgentina22,8346,960 Ojos del SaladoAndesArgentina/Chile22,6646,908 BoneteAndesArgentina/Chile22,5466,872 Ama DablamHimalayasNepal22,4946,856 TupungatoAndesArgentina/Chile22,3106,800 Moscow PeakPamirsTajikistan22,2606,785 PissisAndesArgentina22,2416,779 MercedarioAndesArgentina/Chile22,2116,770 HuascaránAndesPeru22,2056,768 LlullaillacoAndesArgentina/Chile22,0576,723 El LibertadorAndesArgentina22,0476,720 CachiAndesArgentina22,0476,720 KailasHimalayasTibet22,0276,714 IncahuasiAndesArgentina/Chile21,7206,620 YerupajaAndesPeru21,7096,617 KurumdaPamirsTajikistan21,6866,610 GalanAndesArgentina21,6546,600 El MuertoAndesArgentina/Chile21,4636,542 SajamaAndesBolivia21,3916,520 NacimientoAndesArgentina21,3026,493 IllampuAndesBolivia21,2766,485 IllimaniAndesBolivia21,2016,462 CoropunaAndesPeru21,0836,426 LaudoAndesArgentina20,9976,400 AncohumaAndesBolivia20,9586,388 CuzcoAndesPeru20,9456,384 (Ausangate) Toro AndesArgentina/Chile20,9326,380 Tres CrucesAndesArgentina/Chile20,8536,356 HuandoyAndesPeru20,8526,356 ParinacotaAndesBolivia/Chile20,7686,330 TortolasAndesArgentina/Chile20,7456,323 ChimborazoAndesEcuador20,7026,310 AmpatoAndesPeru20,7026,310 El CondorAndesArgentina20,6696,300 SalcantayAndesPeru20,5746,271 HuancarhuasAndesPeru20,5316,258 FamatinaAndesArgentina20,5056,250 PumasilloAndesPeru20,4926,246 SoloAndesArgentina20,4926,246 PollerasAndesArgentina20,4566,235 PularAndesChile20,4236,225 ChañiAndesArgentina20,3416,200 McKinley (Denali)AlaskaAlaska20,3206,194 AucanquilchaAndesChile20,2956,186 JuncalAndesArgentina/Chile20,2766,180 NegroAndesArgentina20,1846,152 QuelaAndesArgentina20,1286,135 CondoririAndesBolivia20,0956,125