Uploaded September 2012 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
**ORDER our new book: WeHaveNoIdea.com
Jorge and Alex travel to the highest peak in Hawaii for a look at how Astronomers figure out the molecular composition of far away stars and planets. Visit our website: phdcomics.com/tv
CORRECTION: Actually, studies have shown that the relative partial pressures of O2 and CO2 don't change much with altitude in the atmosphere up to the mid-stratosphere due to convective mixing. This means that the air is moving around in such a turbulent fashion that any "settling" of the gases due to gravity is mostly canceled out by remixing due to air currents. There is still less oxygen and less CO2 at higher altitudes, though, which combined make it harder for your body to take in oxygen and to recognize this deficiency. Our original explanation came from what we heard from several astronomers and it certainly made sense, but it just goes to show you that nature always surprises and that the proof is in the data.
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=phdcomics
More info about PHD Comics at: phdcomics.com
--
CREDITS:
Hosts: Alexandra Lockwood and Jorge Cham
Edited by: Roser Segura (rosersegura.tv/)
Music:
"Mauna Kea" by Okamotonoriaki (okamotonoriaki.com/)
"Girl on Fluor" by Astronomy (jamendo.com/en/track/187095/)
Additional music by Pond5 and Shockwave
Ph.Detours theme ("Streets") by SO3 (so3music.com/)
Camera: Matthew Siegler, Brendan Hermalyn, Elise Rumpf, Jorge Cham
Sound Mastering: Laurence Yeung
Series Producers: Matt Siegler (planetary.org/connect/our-experts/profiles/matt-siegler.html) and Alex Lockwood
Thanks to: Caltech, the Office of Mauna Kea Management, the Hawaii Film Office, The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, Phil Muirhead, Timm Riesen, Alain Khayat and the W. M. Keck Observatory.
The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (http://www.cso.caltech.edu/) is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Created by: Jorge Cham (http://www.phdcomics.com)
phdcomics.com/tv
#FQXiVideoContest2014
**ORDER our new book: WeHaveNoIdea.com
Jorge and Alex travel to the highest peak in Hawaii for a look at how Astronomers figure out the molecular composition of far away stars and planets. Visit our website: phdcomics.com/tv
CORRECTION: Actually, studies have shown that the relative partial pressures of O2 and CO2 don't change much with altitude in the atmosphere up to the mid-stratosphere due to convective mixing. This means that the air is moving around in such a turbulent fashion that any "settling" of the gases due to gravity is mostly canceled out by remixing due to air currents. There is still less oxygen and less CO2 at higher altitudes, though, which combined make it harder for your body to take in oxygen and to recognize this deficiency. Our original explanation came from what we heard from several astronomers and it certainly made sense, but it just goes to show you that nature always surprises and that the proof is in the data.
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=phdcomics
More info about PHD Comics at: phdcomics.com
--
CREDITS:
Hosts: Alexandra Lockwood and Jorge Cham
Edited by: Roser Segura (rosersegura.tv/)
Music:
"Mauna Kea" by Okamotonoriaki (okamotonoriaki.com/)
"Girl on Fluor" by Astronomy (jamendo.com/en/track/187095/)
Additional music by Pond5 and Shockwave
Ph.Detours theme ("Streets") by SO3 (so3music.com/)
Camera: Matthew Siegler, Brendan Hermalyn, Elise Rumpf, Jorge Cham
Sound Mastering: Laurence Yeung
Series Producers: Matt Siegler (planetary.org/connect/our-experts/profiles/matt-siegler.html) and Alex Lockwood
Thanks to: Caltech, the Office of Mauna Kea Management, the Hawaii Film Office, The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, Phil Muirhead, Timm Riesen, Alain Khayat and the W. M. Keck Observatory.
The Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (http://www.cso.caltech.edu/) is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Created by: Jorge Cham (http://www.phdcomics.com)
phdcomics.com/tv
#FQXiVideoContest2014
