In this episode, we'll talk to Ronald Sorkness (1:29) about his study on severe asthma that appears in the Journal of Applied Physiology. We'll also ask David Spierer (13:23) whether there might be physiological benefits in playing an interactive video game. And APS President Hannah Carey (21:13) will explain how physiological research can help preserve the health of the planet.

You can find a summary of the asthma study here.

In this special episode of Life Lines, we talk to John West, a professor of medicine at the University of California, who shares his memories of the late Sir Edmund Hillary. West accompanied Hillary to Mount Everest in 1960, helping to uncover how the body acclimatizes to the extremes of altitude.

The music you hear at the beginning and end of Life Lines is from Body Notes, composed by APS member Hector Rasgado-Flores and performed by the San Diego Chamber Orchestra.