Tag: Terminal velocity

While a fall from a height of 10,000 feet is almost certainly fatal, a few documented cases defy the odds, making it a compelling subject of scientific and medical analysis. Can a human survive a 10,000 foot fall? The extraordinary answer lies not in brute strength, but in a series of extremely rare and fortunate circumstances.

In 1972, flight attendant Vesna Vulović survived a fall of 33,333 feet—a descent still recognized by Guinness World Records as the highest fall survived without a parachute. Her story offers a glimpse into the astonishing limits of human resilience, sparking the question: what is the highest fall that a human can survive? This article explores the science behind these improbable feats, debunking common myths and examining the extraordinary circumstances that led to survival.