Veritasium: Extreme Breath-Holding, or How to Hold Your Breath for 20 Minutes

Science • Views: 12,488

This is how people can hold their breath for tens of minutes.

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A huge thanks to Brandon Birchak for all his help with this video: eliteperformancedesign.uscreen.io

A special thanks to Juan Valdivia for his expert advice on the science of extreme breath holding.

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References:

Click to Reveal

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). How your body controls breathing. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. - ve42.co

Anatomy, autonomic nervous system - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.-a). - ve42.co

Biochemistry, oxidative phosphorylation - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.-c). - ve42.co

Acidosis. Acidosis - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). - ve42.co

Evaluation of respiratory alkalosis. Evaluation of respiratory alkalosis - Differential diagnosis of symptoms | BMJ Best Practice US. (n.d.). - ve42.co

Wilmshurst, P. (1998, October 10). Diving and Oxygen. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). - ve42.co

López-Barneo, J., Ortega-Sáenz, P., Pardal, R., Pascual, A., & Piruat, J. I. (2008). Carotid body oxygen sensing. European Respiratory Journal, 32(5), 1386-1398. - ve42.co

Jeff, & Huffy. (2022, November 17). The Bolt score test: Measure your breathing volume capacity. Marathon Handbook. - ve42.co

Lindholm, P., & Lundgren, C. E. (2009). The physiology and pathophysiology of human breath-hold diving. Journal of Applied Physiology, 106(1), 284-292. - ve42.co

Physiology, lung capacity - statpearls - NCBI bookshelf. (n.d.-c). - ve42.co

Panneton, W. M., & Gan, Q. (2020). The mammalian diving response: inroads to its neural control. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, 524. - ve42.co

Baković, D., Eterović, D., Saratlija‐Novaković, X., Palada, I., Valic, Z., Bilopavlović, N., & Dujić, X. (2005). Effect of human splenic contraction on variation in circulating blood cell counts. Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology, 32(11), 944-951. ve42.co

Gooden, B. (1971). The diving response in man, rat and echidna (Doctoral dissertation). - ve42.co

Longest duration breath hold - freediving static apnea (male). Guinness World Records. (n.d.). - ve42.co

What’s the longest a human can hold their breath underwater? BBC Science Focus Magazine. (n.d.). - ve42.co

Directed by Derek Muller
Written by Felicity Nelson and Derek Muller
Edited by Trenton Oliver
Animated by Ivy Tello
Filmed by Derek Muller
Produced by Derek Muller
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Pond5
Music from Epidemic Sound

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62 comments
1
Eclectic Cyborg  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:38:08am

BRB.

Need some fresh air.

/

2
Unabogie  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:39:18am

re: #198 EstebanTornado1963

He’s that condescending lawyer who has a god complex on Daily Kos right?

Indeed. He has a deep hatred for Fani Willis and won’t stop claiming that Willis getting Scott Hall to flip is actually a sign of the weakness of her RICO case against Trump.

It’s pathetic, but he is deleting replies that demonstrate just how pathetic.

3
PhillyPretzel ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:39:56am

re: #1 Eclectic Cyborg

I know I am being a bit of a smart-ass but it was too good to pass on it.
npr.org

4
Nerdy Fish  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:43:18am

re: #3 PhillyPretzel ✅

I know I am being a bit of a smart-ass but it was too good to pass on it.
npr.org

Better a smartass than a dumbass, I always say.

5
HRH Stanley Sea  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:45:04am

Kind of proud

UHljbEMxRGMwYXk1cHdRbnBjQmYzbTU3amVzSjZwZ3ZqaFZVc0g0aDY3aVFtRTdHT3Z2NFZvL0tMeklodTZPelRnOFRRUXNuYllXQnZtVGY3UEhGSVhvSE1XTFlPalo5clJUWGlRRS94dDVMRkY3dndROXB4YXFNRm5NSlVPZ2hhRENGZkJ5WElsSE1pRUFRamhuZGlBPT06OhxpDK88KTcK3J5wLloKJEs=

6
Belafon  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:45:26am
7
Teukka  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:45:43am

ℹ️ PSA: Example of propaganda which shows that the makers over-estimate their own ability while grossly underestimating their targets ability. That, or a propaganda piece intentionally made to be discovered, so that the targets will let their guards down for the propaganda/manipulation methods meant to slide under the radar:

8
Decatur Deb  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:46:19am

LGF featured this dancer a few years ago, putting the skills to use. One take.

Youtube Video

Correct video this time.

9
Nerdy Fish  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:46:26am

re: #6 Belafon

[Embedded content]

It’s almost like Qevin McCarthy is wholly untrustworthy, and any promises he makes cannot be relied upon.

10
Belafon  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:47:01am

I like finding the tweets, cause then you get replies:

11
darthstar  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:50:52am

I remember watching one of those deep sea sci-fi flicks where they filled their suits with ‘liquid oxygen’ and demoed it by putting a character’s pet rat in it. I asked my dad how that worked and he,a doctor, said they drowned the rat and the rest was camera magic.

12
Dr Lizardo  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:55:31am

re: #11 darthstar

I remember watching one of those deep sea sci-fi flicks where they filled their suits with ‘liquid oxygen’ and demoed it by putting a character’s pet rat in it. I asked my dad how that worked and he,a doctor, said they drowned the rat and the rest was camera magic.

The Abyss.

That was real.

The rat demonstration scene in The Abyss was unsimulated and used real-life oxygenated breathing fluid. Ed Harris, however, was tasked with pretending to breathe in his water-filled helmet. This was especially challenging during underwater shots, of which there were many.

filmschoolrejects.com

13
Unabogie  Sep 30, 2023 • 10:56:31am

re: #2 Unabogie

Indeed. He has a deep hatred for Fani Willis and won’t stop claiming that Willis getting Scott Hall to flip is actually a sign of the weakness of her RICO case against Trump.

It’s pathetic, but he is deleting replies that demonstrate just how pathetic.

Now he’s responded.

bmazsays:
September 30, 2023 at 1:35 pm
Perhaps you ought shut up and quit being a problem irritant here.

Typical. I replied:

Reply
Unabogiesays:
September 30, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Are you going to even attempt to address my point that stealing the source code for Dominion machines involves “we” and not just the residents of a single county in Georgia?

14
FFL (GOP Delenda Est)  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:00:49am

Bmaz is emptywheel and not Daily Koz IIRC.

15
sagehen  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:12:14am

Bill Maher came back last night. Ron DeSantis was the interview. I haven’t watched, but if anybody else did or will I’d be interested in a review.

16
mmmirele  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:13:55am

Hi, Charles, I know you put everything from what is in the video text in your posts, but can you remove promotions from betterhelp dot com? To put it bluntly, betterhealth has misused patient information gleaned from unavoidable “intake questions” and sold it to outfits like Facebook and SnapChat. The FTC is settling with betterhelp for $7.8 million (ftc.gov) and there are some class-action suits in progress.

Therapist Mickey Atkins, located in Tucson, was threatened by betterhelp and had to take down her original video to protect herself. She put up another video after it became clear that betterhelp was going to have to pay a settlement.

Why I’ll Never Take a Sponsorship from BetterHelp | Therapist Explains the FTC Allegations

It’s your site, you can do what you want, but I thought I’d bring this to your attention.

(And I don’t know what it is about my neighborhood, but we’ve got two phone-in counseling outfits nearby. And yet the only cannabis dispensaries in the middle of Mesa are actually on county islands because the “city fathers” are scared of the “evil weed.”)

17
Charles Johnson  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:17:15am

re: #16 mmmirele

I didn’t know about that, thanks. Removed the link above.

18
mmmirele  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:18:45am

re: #7 Teukka

ℹ️ PSA: Example of propaganda which shows that the makers over-estimate their own ability while grossly underestimating their targets ability. That, or a propaganda piece intentionally made to be discovered, so that the targets will let their guards down for the propaganda/manipulation methods meant to slide under the radar:

[Embedded content]

It’s not even a passport photo! I remember having to put on my best face the day I applied for my most recent passport. It was the day after Trump won in 2016 and I was *painfully* hung over because I think I tried to drink myself into oblivion. The first photo attempts were abominable, but we finally got a decent enough pic for the passport.

19
jeffreyw  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:25:36am

Mastodon

20
Decatur Deb  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:25:37am

re: #18 mmmirele

It’s not even a passport photo! I remember having to put on my best face the day I applied for my most recent passport. It was the day after Trump won in 2016 and I was *painfully* hung over because I think I tried to drink myself into oblivion. The first photo attempts were abominable, but we finally got a decent enough pic for the passport.

I remember the party where we watched the 2016 returns. I made it to Florida’s.

21
Teukka  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:29:22am

re: #18 mmmirele

It’s not even a passport photo! I remember having to put on my best face the day I applied for my most recent passport. It was the day after Trump won in 2016 and I was *painfully* hung over because I think I tried to drink myself into oblivion. The first photo attempts were abominable, but we finally got a decent enough pic for the passport.

For my latest ID, it too a couple of tries to get a correct ID card photo (same req’s as a passport photo here), and it’s a secure system used at the Tax Office that pretty much handles itself.

22
mmmirele  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:31:44am

re: #17 Charles Johnson

I didn’t know about that, thanks. Removed the link above.

Thank you, Charles. This is why I like being here.

23
PhillyPretzel ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:33:22am

re: #22 mmmirele

Same here. :)

24
Joe Bacon ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:38:15am

re: #22 mmmirele

I third it!

25
William Lewis  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:39:13am

60th birthday mirror selfie with my oldest frien’

Picture a day challenge. Day 30 of 30.

Thanks for watching!

26
gocart mozart  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:41:34am
27
ericblair  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:45:37am

The GOP’s most central demand is that we stop helping our ally in fighting back against an imperial genocidal invasion by fucking Russia of all countries.

28
Joe Bacon ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:46:42am

In memory of Dianne I’m having Steak Diane today…

29
Charles Johnson  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:47:06am

The House just passed the CR bill with almost unanimous Dem support.

30
CleverToad  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:48:11am

Finally caught up with the end of a thread.

Had a most-of-the-day power outage yesterday, so it took awhile to catch up with all the Friday news. Suffering withdrawal pangs of course — no news? No internet surfing? No stove? Hoarding the computer and phone battery lives in case the blackout lasted longer than they predicted? Wondering at what point we’d need to put some ice-packs in the fridge to keep stuff safe? First world problems.

Seems to have been very local, the nearby intersections had functional lights. We went out to get a couple of things at the grocery store and asked at the pharmacy if they had the new COVID shots yet — bingo, they’d gotten a shipment of Pfizer so the husband and I have slightly sore arms and all our fall shots (had already done the heavy-duty old-farts flu shot and the new RSV a couple of weeks ago). No major reactions, just a lot of relief. Now all I have to do is nag the grown son to get his jabs this month.

Just absorbing the Friday news dump. Losing DiFi. Shutdown cliff. Insane impeachment theater. Maybe people will pay attention when they cancel Fat Bear Week.

Sheesh.

31
Eclectic Cyborg  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:48:36am

re: #29 Charles Johnson

The House just passed the CR bill with almost unanimous Dem support.

So that means there won’t be a shutdown more than likely?

32
PhillyPretzel ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:48:38am

re: #29 Charles Johnson

So the gov’t won’t shut down?

33
PhillyPretzel ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:50:18am

WaPo ping: House passes short-term funding bill. So much for silly questions.

34
First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:50:34am

re: #25 William Lewis

What’s that picture clicker ya got there?

35
Charles Johnson  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:51:04am

Shutdown averted unless Mitch McConnell fucks it up.

36
Dr Lizardo  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:51:09am

re: #33 PhillyPretzel ✅

WaPo ping: House passes short-term funding bill. So much for silly questions.

At least for the next 45 days.

37
Charles Johnson  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:52:06am

The CR they passed has NO AID for Ukraine.

38
BigPapa  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:52:06am

re: #35 Charles Johnson

Shutdown averted unless Mitch McConnell fucks it up.

Quote from McConnel:

39
BigPapa  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:53:19am

I made some pineapple and cherry chutney about 6 months ago and did the ‘hide in the fridge’ trick. It worked.

40
Dr Lizardo  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:53:31am

re: #37 Charles Johnson

The CR they passed has NO AID for Ukraine.

Hopefully, the Senate will put it back in.

41
William Lewis  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:55:45am

re: #34 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

What’s that picture clicker ya got there?

Nikon D810 with a vertical grip. Wonderful DSLR.

42
BigPapa  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:56:55am

For Shrop, try bein da man:

Taylor Swift - Live at the 2019 American Music Awards

43
sagehen  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:58:33am

re: #31 Eclectic Cyborg

So that means there won’t be a shutdown more than likely?

um… Maybe? McConnell is playing parliamentary games.

44
Decatur Deb  Sep 30, 2023 • 11:58:33am

re: #37 Charles Johnson

The CR they passed has NO AID for Ukraine.

Then the Dem Senate should fuck it up.

45
Nerdy Fish  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:00:21pm

Welp, my air conditioner packed a spaz just as the last vestiges of summer heat are arriving in the area. As if this summer wasn’t already long and miserable enough.

46
Belafon  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:02:18pm
47
Charles Johnson  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:03:50pm

This whole process is completely bugfuck nuts.

America is off the rails.

48
Eclectic Cyborg  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:06:01pm

re: #46 Belafon

[Embedded content]

These stupid insane motherfuckers.

49
EstebanTornado1963  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:07:12pm

re: #14 FFL (GOP Delenda Est)

Bmaz is emptywheel and not Daily Koz IIRC.

Yes that’s right, not Kos

50
Captain Ron  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:12:01pm
51
JC1  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:12:30pm

re: #37 Charles Johnson

The CR they passed has NO AID for Ukraine.

Has all the aid already appropriated been spent?

52
Captain Ron  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:13:44pm
53
First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:13:52pm

re: #46 Belafon

Explain like I’m five?

54
Decatur Deb  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:13:59pm

re: #51 JC1

Has all the aid already appropriated been spent?

Every budget has a lot of “dust”.

55
Charles Johnson  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:17:12pm

Nate Silver continues to prove he’s a complete jackass.

56
sizzzzlerz  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:20:19pm

re: #9 Nerdy Fish

It’s almost like Qevin McCarthy is wholly untrustworthy, and any promises he makes cannot be relied upon.

Almost in the sense that TFG is almost a bloated, lying, criminal piece of shit.

57
PhillyPretzel ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:25:14pm

The sun is out in Philly. It feels like I have not seen it in a long time.

58
sagehen  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:27:14pm

re: #53 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

Explain like I’m five?

The Senate has its own CR, which is mostly like the House one except for Ukraine.

If the Senate passes the House one, it goes to Joe for signature. If they pass the Senate one, it goes to conference committee and somebody has to vote again. If they don’t pass either, there’s a shutdown.

The R senators want to vote, most of them are willing to vote for the House version. McConnell wants them not to, he wants the Senate version. He can tell his caucus to vote no on cloture, maybe they’ll do what he wants. Or maybe not.

59
lizardofid  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:28:11pm

re: #57 PhillyPretzel ✅

The sun is out in Philly. It feels like I have not seen it in a long time.

I heard it was always sunny/

60
PhillyPretzel ✅  Sep 30, 2023 • 12:29:35pm

re: #59 lizardofid

Only in fictional versions.

61
DodgerFan1988  Sep 30, 2023 • 1:02:31pm
62
BeenHereAwhile  Sep 30, 2023 • 1:32:17pm

...


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