Why You Can't Hear Shouts Near the Mount Everest Summit
Sound behaves differently at 8,000m. Because the air is so thin, sound waves lack the medium needed to travel far. This acoustic physics is a major communication challenge for any Mount Everest expedition reaching the summit.
With only 30% of the air molecules available at the Mount Everest summit, sound drops off rapidly. You might have to be inches away for your partner to hear you, a vital safety consideration during Everest trekking peaks.
The constant roar of the jet stream creates a 'white noise' that masks human speech. Successful Mount Everest expedition teams rely on hand signals and high-gain radios to maintain contact near the summit.
In contrast, some valleys in the Everest trekking region have a 'megaphone' effect, where sound can carry for miles across the stillness. It is a surreal auditory experience on the way to Everest Base Camp.
In the silence of the high Himalayas, every sound matters. Pay attention to the acoustics of the Mount Everest summit region to ensure safe communication on your expedition.
