Pangaea Himalayan Expedition: Mayo Clinic Research (Video)

Today we take a closer look at one of the primary objectives of the Pangaea Himalayan Expedition—real-time physiological monitoring and research conducted by experts from the Mayo Clinic's Extreme Environmental Human Performance Program. Mayo researcher Andy Miller and Dr. Bryan Taylor as they discuss the monitoring methods being used on the expedition and the rationale behind the research.

The goal of the Mayo Clinic's research is to conduct live physiological monitoring of the expedition team throughout the trip using cutting-edge field monitoring technologies. By tracking the physiology of team members as they acclimatize and ascend a 6,000-meter (20,000-foot) peak, the Clinic seeks to better understand how the human body responds to such an extreme environment in the hopes of ultimately improving human performance in similar situations.

Pangaea Himalayan Expedition: Payu to Concordia (Video)

The Pangaea Expedition team treks from Payu onto the Baltoro Glacier and beyond—to basecamp at Concordia, where they are rewarded with amazing views of the mighty K2.

June 7, 2010
Rest Day at Payu

Today is a rest day, so we begin with a late breakfast at 8 a.m. After breakfast, the Mayo clinic team conducts some tests with the young explorers and the team. The main goal of these tests is to check the oxygen saturation in the blood as well as the heart rate of subjects while exercising at the current altitude—3,600 meters (11,800 feet) above sea level. The physical exercise is a 9-minute stepping routine. As expected, all of us have decreased oxygen saturation levels due to the high altitude.

Pangaea Himalayan Expedition: Exploring the Heights With Mike Horn (Video)

Follow South African explorer Mike Horn and his expedition team as they trek through Pakistan's Karakoram Valley high in the Himalayas.

The Pangaea Project (PAN Global Adventure for Environmental Action) is a four-year exploration spanning the globe initiated by South African explorer Mike Horn in 2008. The project was devised by Horn as a way to engage international youth in exploring the world around them, learning about human impacts on the environment, and actively participating in clean-up and community projects.

Having engaged in beach and island clean-up projects in Borneo and India earlier this year, Horn and his expedition team now find themselves in the majestic heights of the Himalayas, guiding a group of eight young explorers on a month-long trek over Pakistan's Karakoram Valley to witness firsthand the amazing views of Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, the Gasherbrum peaks, the Baltoro Massif, and the mighty K2.