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Scientific American

July 20, 2012

1 min read

A Physicist on Everest: How Body and Mind Break Down at Elevation [Excerpt]

In his new book, physicist Francis Slakey recounts the myriad physical and mental challenges in summiting the world's highest peak

By Francis Slakey

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Editor's Note: The rights to our excerpt from To the Last Breath: A Journey of Going to Extremes, by Francis Slakey, have expired. The book is available from numerous online booksellers.

Francis Slakey is an adjunct professor of physics at Georgetown University and associate director of public affairs for the American Physical Society. He received his Ph.D. in physics in 1992 from the University of Illinois, where his research focused on the optical properties of high-temperature superconductors. He writes and lectures on the subject of science policy; his commentaries have appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post.

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