How Can This Man Handle an Icy Lake?

NGSS Phenomena: A man slowly walks into freezing cold water with glaciers and hunks of ice around him.

Inside the Human Body: First to Last - BBC One

In the gif above, we see a man named Wim Hof going into water that's cold enough to send almost anyone into shock and likely kill them. He's known for being able to control his body and his perception of cold to the point that he's even climbed up Mount Everest in shorts.

NGSS Phenomena: Through a blood vessel, we see red blood cells flowing. Over time, they turn from red to a darker purple or blue.

An animation of blood becoming less oxygenated over time during shock.

If you went into water this cold, you would go into shock. Shock is when your blood is not carrying enough oxygen to your organs. In very cold water, your blood vessels will constrict so much that blood won't be able to get oxygen to your organs fast enough to keep you alive.

What is different about the way this individual reacts to cold, compared to other people?

1. The shock reaction is an example of sensory information that is .

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stored for later

used immediately

2. Vim Hof is able to control his body and his perception of cold to avoid going into shock when going into freezing water. Using the resources provided, what two pieces of evidence supports Vim Hof reacts to cold differently than most people? Describe a cause and effect relationship and give an example of two of the following sensory inputs: electromagnetic, mechanical and chemical. Justify your response with evidence.

3. The sensory receptors that detect the cold water are responding to stimuli.

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magnetic

mechanical

chemical

4. Is it causation or correlation that Vim Hof is able to control his body enough to not go into shock in freezing water? Explain why you think so.

5. This gif was pulled from a BBC documentary on Vim Hof. Explain how you could evaluate the bias of the organization and this gif.

6. Vim Hof sells classes that teach people how to breathe in order to control their body's reactions. Is his ability to control his body's reactions sufficient evidence that anyone will be able to do it? Explain why or why not.

7. Use what you've learned about reflexes and memories to explain how Vim Hof's breathing techniques are able to help him stop his body from going into shock in freezing water.