HOW does it feel to be on top of the world? The iconic photograph of Tenzing Norgay on the summit of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953 (above, left) might give a clue. He and Edmund Hillary were the first people to reach the highest point on Earth. But they couldn't have done it without their innovative kit.
John Hunt, who led the team, ascribed their success to the oxygen equipment (bottom image, above). They took two systems with them. The first mixed oxygen in tanks with the ambient air and had been used successfully on Everest before. The second was a brilliant experiment: a system that recycled exhaled air through a cylinder of soda lime to remove carbon dioxide, allowing the air to be reused so fewer bottles of oxygen were needed. Tom Bourdillon, the team member who designed the recycling system, was able to make fast progress on his ascent with partner Charles Evans – but the system broke down when the pair reached Everest's south summit on 26 May, denying them the chance to reach the peak first.
The expedition's boots (top right) were also a radical departure from the norm. Leather boots were heavy and did not protect from frostbite, so the team's boots were insulated with felt and a material called kapok. A thin rubber sole designed by Dunlop completed the lightweight design.
Finally, the plastics available at the time would have cracked in the cold of Everest, so Pye Telecom replaced the mouthpiece of the walkie-talkies with rubber (top centre).
To mark the 60th anniversary of the team's achievement, the Royal Geographical Society in London is hosting an exhibition that explores the innovations that made the ascent possible.
This article appeared in print under the headline "Natural high"
- New Scientist
- Not just a website!
- Subscribe to New Scientist and get:
- New Scientist magazine delivered every week
- Unlimited online access to articles from over 500 back issues
- Subscribe Now and Save
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.