What's The Most Dangerous Place on Earth?

Summary

This Vsauce video explores the most dangerous places on Earth, considering factors like temperature extremes, lack of oxygen, and natural disasters. It delves into the rapid fatality risks of Mount Everest's thin air and the Mariana Trench's water pressure, as well as the historical deadliness of diseases like the bubonic plague and malaria. The video also touches on human-induced dangers, such as pollution in La Oroya and radioactive hazards in Lake Karachay, contrasting with the natural 'safety' now found in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, where wildlife thrives in the absence of human activity.

Takeaways

• 🌍 93% of all humans who have ever lived are now dead, indicating the Earth's history is vast and most of it involves the deceased.
• ❄️ Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can be deadly within minutes to hours, highlighting the fragility of human life without proper protection.
• 🏔 Mount Everest's summit is perilous due to the thin air and lack of oxygen, which can lead to death within minutes for an unprepared individual.
• 🌊 The bottom of the Mariana Trench poses an immediate threat due to extreme water pressure and lack of oxygen, capable of causing unconsciousness in seconds.
• 🔥 Falling into a lake of molten lava would result in an explosive reaction due to the body's water content turning into steam, illustrating the intense heat of lava.
• 🦠 Historically, diseases like the plague and influenza have caused massive fatalities, with malaria potentially being the deadliest in human history.
• 🏭 Pollution and environmental hazards, such as in La Oroya, Peru, and Lake Karachay in Russia, can be extremely dangerous to human health.
• 🏆 The Global Peace Index ranks countries by safety, with Iceland being the safest and Somalia the least safe, showing the wide range of safety across the globe.
• 🗺️ High murder rates are found in specific locations like Juarez, Mexico, and San Pedro Sula in Honduras, indicating areas of extreme danger.
• 📺 Fictional places like Cabot Cove from 'Murder, She Wrote' and real places like San Pedro Sula have exceptionally high murder rates, demonstrating the contrast between reality and fiction.
• ☢️ The Chernobyl exclusion zone, while dangerous for humans, has allowed wildlife to flourish, showing how human absence can benefit other forms of life.

Q & A

What percentage of all humans who have ever lived are currently dead?

93% of all humans who have ever lived are dead.

How does the lack of oxygen at the summit of Mount Everest affect humans?

At the summit of Mount Everest, there is only one third as much breathable oxygen as at sea level, which can cause death within 2-3 minutes if a person is teleported there without acclimatization.

What would happen to a human body if it were submerged at the bottom of the Mariana Trench?

At the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the pressure would cause the lungs to collapse, and without oxygen, the brain would go unconscious in 15 seconds, leading to death in under 90 seconds.

How does a human body react when exposed to molten lava?

The human body, mainly composed of water, would turn into steam explosively when exposed to the extreme heat of molten lava, which is four times hotter than an oven can get.

What historical disease caused the death of nearly 3% of the world's population in 1918?

Influenza caused the death of nearly 100 million people in 1918, which was 3% of the world's population at the time.

Which micro-organism is responsible for causing malaria and how significant has its impact been on human history?

Plasmodium, a micro-organism transmitted through mosquito bites, causes malaria and is estimated to have caused the death of half of all humans who have ever lived.

What is the most polluted spot on Earth according to the World Watch Institute on Nuclear Waste?

Lake Karachay in Russia is considered the most polluted spot on Earth due to its high levels of radioactive pollutants.

Which country has the highest murder rate according to the Global Peace Index?

According to the Global Peace Index, the country with the highest murder rate is Somalia.

What is the murder rate in Juarez, Mexico, and how does it compare to other locations?

In Juarez, Mexico, the murder rate is 1,477 per million inhabitants per year, which is one of the highest in the world.

How does the murder rate in the fictional town of Cabot Cove from 'Murder, She Wrote' compare to real-world statistics?

Cabot Cove from 'Murder, She Wrote' has a murder rate of 1,490 per million inhabitants, which was unmatched by reality until San Pedro, Sula in Honduras reported a rate of 1,588 per million.

What is the paradoxical effect of the Chernobyl disaster on wildlife?

The Chernobyl disaster zone, while lethal to humans, has allowed wildlife, especially endangered species, to flourish due to the absence of human activity.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Extreme Conditions and Deadly Places

This paragraph explores the concept of Earth's most dangerous places, focusing on the elements of extreme temperature and oxygen scarcity. It highlights how the human body struggles to maintain life in extreme cold, where without proper clothing, a person could die within minutes. The necessity of oxygen is underscored by the example of Mount Everest, where the thin air can lead to death within minutes without acclimatization. The paragraph also delves into the lethal pressures of the Mariana Trench and the immediate death that could result from such an environment. It contrasts these natural dangers with the rapid and explosive death that could occur from falling into a molten lava lake, emphasizing the body's composition of water and its violent reaction to such heat.

05:05

🦠 Microscopic Dangers and Human-Made Hazards

The second paragraph shifts focus to microscopic threats and human-induced dangers. It discusses the historical and ongoing impact of diseases like the plague and influenza, emphasizing their significant death tolls throughout history. The paragraph then transitions to discuss the deadly effects of malaria, caused by the micro-organism plasmodium, which has likely caused the deaths of half of all humans who have ever lived. It also touches on human-made hazards, such as the extreme pollution in La Oroya, Peru, and the radioactive contamination of Lake Karachay in Russia. The paragraph concludes with a discussion of the Global Peace Index, highlighting the safest and least safe countries, and noting the exceptionally high murder rates in certain locations, both real and fictional.

Keywords

💡Mount Everest

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, with its peak at 8,848 meters (29,029 ft) above sea level. In the video, it is mentioned as a place with incredibly thin air, where there is only one third as much breathable oxygen as at sea level. This scarcity of oxygen makes it a dangerous place for humans, as the lack of it can lead to death within minutes if one is not acclimated to the altitude.

💡Mariana Trench

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans, reaching a maximum known depth of about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). It is referenced in the script as a place where the immense water pressure would be lethal to humans, causing lungs to collapse and leading to unconsciousness and death within minutes due to the lack of oxygen.

💡Molten Lava

Molten lava is liquid rock that can reach temperatures four times hotter than what a typical oven can achieve. The video describes it as a spectacular but deadly hazard, where the human body, mostly composed of water, would turn into steam explosively upon contact, causing a miniature eruption.

💡Influenza

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a viral illness that can lead to severe illness or death. The 1918 influenza pandemic is highlighted in the video as having killed nearly 100 million people, which was 3% of the world's population at the time, illustrating the potential deadliness of infectious diseases.

💡Bubonic Plague

The bubonic plague is a deadly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which is transmitted through the bite of infected fleas. The video mentions that between 1347 and 1353, it killed a third of Europe's population, making it one of the most devastating pandemics in human history.

💡Malaria

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The video emphasizes that malaria has caused an estimated half of all human deaths throughout history, making it one of the deadliest diseases ever.

💡La Oroya

La Oroya is a town in Peru known for its high levels of pollution due to metal smelting activities. The video describes it as having 85 times more arsenic in its air than is considered safe for human health, making it a dangerous place due to environmental pollution.

💡Lake Karachay

Lake Karachay in Russia is infamous for being one of the most polluted places on Earth due to radioactive waste. The video states that one can receive a lethal dose of radiation just by standing near certain parts of the lake for an hour, highlighting the extreme dangers of nuclear pollution.

💡Global Peace Index

The Global Peace Index is an annual report that ranks countries by their level of safety, taking into account factors such as crime rates and political stability. The video uses this index to contrast the safety of Iceland, the safest country according to the index, with Somalia, which is ranked as the least safe.

💡Chernobyl

The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred in 1986 at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union. The video discusses the long-term effects of the disaster, including the creation of an exclusion zone where wildlife has flourished in the absence of human activity.

💡Temperature Inversion

A temperature inversion is a meteorological phenomenon where a layer of warm air traps cooler air beneath it, preventing the dispersion of pollutants. The video mentions that temperature inversions in La Oroya, Peru, contribute to the town's high levels of pollution by trapping harmful gases close to the ground.

Highlights

93% of all humans who have ever lived are dead, and for every person alive today, there are 15 who are no longer alive.

Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can be lethal within hours or minutes.

The human body struggles to maintain temperature in cold environments without clothing.

At 0 degrees Celsius, a naked human would likely die within 20 minutes due to hypothermia.

Oxygen is more immediately necessary than warmth for survival.

Mount Everest's summit has only one third the oxygen of sea level, making it extremely dangerous.

A person teleported to Everest's summit would likely die within 2-3 minutes due to lack of oxygen.

The Mariana Trench's extreme pressure at 11 km deep would collapse lungs and cause unconsciousness in 15 seconds, death in under 90.

Falling into a molten lava lake would cause an explosive reaction due to the body's water content.

Influenza in 1918 killed nearly 100 million people, 3% of the world's population at the time.

The bubonic plague between 1347 and 1353 killed a third of Europe's population.

Malaria, caused by Plasmodium from mosquito bites, may have caused half of all human deaths in history.

La Oroya, Peru, has 85 times more arsenic in its air than is safe due to smelting pollution.

Lake Karachay in Russia is one of the most polluted places on Earth with lethal doses of radiation.

The Global Peace Index ranks Iceland as the safest country and Somalia as the least safe.

Juarez, Mexico, has an extremely high murder rate of 1,477 per million inhabitants per year.

Cabot Cove from 'Murder, She Wrote' has a fictional murder rate of 1,490 per million inhabitants.

San Pedro Sula in Honduras reported a murder rate of 1,588 per million inhabitants, surpassing Cabot Cove.

The Chernobyl exclusion zone, while still lethal in parts, has allowed wildlife to flourish, especially endangered species.

Transcripts

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. 93% of all the humans who have ever lived are dead. For every

person alive right now, there are 15 people who are no longer alive. The Earth is dangerous...but

where is the most dangerous place on Earth? Ignoring freak occurrances, where is the most

persistently perilous place on the surface of our planet?

Well, let's being with temperature. Extreme heat and extreme cold can kill within hours,

if not minutes. In cold environments, without clothing, the human body, by itself, doesn't

do a very good job of maintaining a high enough temperature to live. It just takes too much

work. Even when you feel comfortable and warm, nearly half of your daily caloric intake is

used merely to keep your body's temperature where it should be.

If you took a human and stripped them naked and put them in an environment at 0 degrees

Celsius, they would die from having too cold of an internal temperature within about 20

minutes. We need warmth. But one thing we need more immediately than that is oxygen.

And that brings us to the summit of Mount Everest. This place on the surface of Earth

has incredibly thin air. At the top of Mount Everest there is only one third as much breathable oxygen

as there is down at sea level.

Climbers can endure the conditions for short periods of time if they acclimate for months,

but if you were to teleport from wherever you are right now directly to the summit of

Everest, you would most likely die within only 2-3 minutes because there isn't enough

oxygen.

Death would come even more quickly if you were at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

There, you would be submerged under nearly 7 miles of water, about 11 km, causing the

pressure around your body to exceed 15,000 pounds per square inch.

At normal swimming depths you can always hold your breath, but that far down, with

that much pressure, your lungs would collapse immediately, and without oxygen your brain

would go unconscious in 15 seconds, and you'd be dead in under 90.

You would die pretty much just as quickly as someone who walked into outer space without

a suit on.

But falling into a molten lake of lava is probably the most spectacular way to go. Contrary

to what you see in many movies, your body wouldn't just burn a little bit and slowly

sink as if it were in quicksand. Instead, there would be a lot of fireworks. Hot, molten

lava is liquid rock, 4 times as hot as your oven can ever get. And the human body is

mainly made up of water, which, when exposed to that kind of heat, turns into steam...explosively.

There's a fantastic video right here on YouTube where a guy throws a bag of organic material

containing a lot of moisture into hot lava. It doesn't just sink in, it causes a miniature

eruption. I highly suggest you go watch it.

But what if we want to measure danger not by how quickly you would die, but by the actual

total number of fatalities caused. Well, for this, we're going to need to get much, much

smaller. Like, microscopic.

In 1918, influenza killed nearly 100 million people, which, at the time, was 3% of the

world's entire population. But places where and when the plague has spread rapidly are

even scarier. Between 1347 and 1353, a third of everybody in Europe died because of the

bubonic plague, an infection caused by Yersinia Pestis.

It's easy to think of the plague as something from way back in the past, but it is still

here. Of course, now we have antibiotics, which can help in most cases, but, believe it or

not, in America alone, 5 to 15 people still get the plague every year.

In terms of total fatalities, however, the plague and influenza are nothing compared

to the danger caused by this guy: plasmodium.

It's a micro-organism that can get into our blood because of mosquito bites, and causes

Malaria. Across the totality of human history, the number of deaths attributed to Malaria

is unbelievable. Researchers like Nobel laureate Baruch Blumberg have studied the history of

the human genome and human migration, and determined that of all the humans who have

ever existed, it is likely that half died from malaria.

So, in terms of total fatalities across all of human history, a place where plasmodium

could enter the blood stream because of a mosquito bite, statistically speaking, could

be called the most dangerous place on Earth.

But let's switch gears for a moment and talk about places that are dangerous not because

of Earth, or Earth's creatures, well, actually, just one specific creature: us.

La Oroya is a mining town in Peru where the murder rate is low but pollution is high.

The town's smelter emits pollution into the air and temperature inversions in the atmosphere

above the town trap gasses within, causing the town to have 85 times more arsenic in

its air than is deemed safe.

But that's nothing compared to Lake Karachay in Russia. It was named the most polluted

spot on Earth by the World Watch Institute on Nuclear Waste.

The lake contains so many radioactive pollutants that you can receive a lethal dose of radiation

merely by standing for one hour near certain parts of the lake.

The Global Peace Index ranks countries by how safe they are. It takes into account a

number of factors including crime and political corruption. The safest country, according

to the Index, is Iceland. And the least safe is Somalia.

But for the highest murder rate you'll have to go to Juarez, Mexico, where out of every

1 million inhabitants, each year 1,477 of them are murdered.

I've always found it amazing just how many serial killers Miami seems to have on the

show "Dexter." But Miami is a big city and so despite all those serial killers, it's

murder rate in the show is not the highest of any fictional town from a TV show. That

honor goes to Cabot Cove, the town where "Murder She Wrote" occurred. An analysis of "Murder

She Wrote" episodes revealed 274 murders, but a population in the town of only 3,500,

making Cabot Cove's murder rate 1,490 per million inhabitants.

Until recently that number was unmatched by reality, but last year, the city of San Pedro

Sula in Honduras reported a murder rate of 1,588 murders per million inhabitants.

Let's conclude by revisiting pollution, specifically the Chernobyl accident, and a certain oxymoronic

danger. For 10 days in 1986, radioactive isotopes spilled out of a blazing reactor core, forcing

mass evacuations. It's more than 25 years later now and many parts of the exclusion

zone remain incredibly lethal. But without humans there, many parts of the exclusion

zone have seen wildlife flourish, especially endangered species which can go to the exclusion

zone, live, reproduce, and be safe...from us. We managed to ruin a place to the point

at which it endangered our lives and we had to leave and in doing so we left parts

of it a little bit safer for other forms of life.

You can read more about all of these topics by following links down in the description

below.

Keep learning.

And as always,

thanks for watching.