Gaze upon photos of Earth's coolest mountain and just try to not say one of these 9 things.

Eric March
09.16.15

Mount Everest isn't kidding around.

Photo by shrimpo1967/Flickr.

At over 29,000 feet high, it is nature's single greatest achievement.

(Sorry, grapes!)

Its scale is staggering. Its peaks magnificent. Its snow supremely powdery.

Only a lucky few ever get to see it in person.

In case you become one of those lucky few, here are the nine reactions you are, statistically, most likely to have, as studied*. By scientists**.

1. "Whoa."

Photo by rdevany/Wikimedia Commons.

When you catch your first glimpse of the tallest peak in the known world, whose summit would virtually scrape the bottom of a 747 at its cruising altitude, your first reaction will likely be a standard, "Whoa."

It's basic, but — no judgment — entirely appropriate.

2. "Whoa. Wow."

Human beings, walking as high as a plane flies. GIF from "Everest"/Universal.

Similar to the standard, "Whoa," but also with a "Wow."

According to experts, this is a normal reflex reaction to the experience of laying eyes on a towering monument of granite and limestone that is 10 times taller than the tallest building in the world and getting taller every year, making a complete and utter mockery of human ingenuity, especially when you stop to consider that over 4,000 people have been on top of it.

3. "..."

Snow coming off the top of Mount Everest, an event for which there are no words. GIF from "Everest"/Universal.

It is also natural to be totally speechless.

4. "I think I left the toaster plugged in."

Oh no. Photo by Eric March/Upworthy.

There's nothing worse than getting all the way to Nepal and then realizing you forgot something important at home. But now you've thought about it, and you can't unthink it. And there's a good chance you're going to spend your whole vacation worrying about the small, but non-zero likelihood that you will return home and find all your earthly possessions destroyed by a raging fire.

The most annoying part? You probably didn't leave the toaster plugged in. But now you know it's possible.

Either way, now you can't be sure, and you'll just have to wing it.

5. "Ummm."

Photo by Lerian/Wikimedia Commons.

I mean ... just...

Yeah.

6. "I'mma ski down that!"

Photo by Ian Gad/Wikimedia Commons.

For a number of reasons related to wanting to live to a ripe old age, see one's children have children, and collect Social Security, most people don't have this reaction. But Davo Karnicar did.

In 2000, Karnicar, who was born in Slovenia and now lives in a beer commercial, became the first person to ski from the summit of Mount Everest all the way back to base camp. It took him five hours.

He subsequently commenced smiling for the rest of his life.

7. "I wonder what global warming will do to this thing."

Photo by Bernard Goldbach/Flickr.

At some point, you will probably be a buzzkill. It's hard to blame you. Someone's got to think about this stuff. Might as well be you.

And it's a good thing you did, because the glaciers on Mount Everest are in some seriously deep crud. Some projections have them melting 70% to 99% by 2100.

You will be glad you got the gawking in while the getting's good. But also, it will inspire you to go home and raise hell! Beat the drum! The change begins with you! Get that butt moving, Charley! Mount Everest needs you.

8. "Holy moly."

Photo by Luca Galuzzi/Wikimedia Commons.

It's a little old fashioned, but yeah, holy moly! And, like, forget its sheer size. Mount Everest has been around a long time. Over 60 million years, to be kinda sorta exact. When Mount Everest was invented, there were no humans (but lots of bear dogs!), but now you can get 3G on the summit.

I guess human ingenuity is good for something after all — and that is playing competitive Words with Friends on the top of Mount Everest. Holy moly!

9. "Jeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."

Photo by Dnor/Wikimedia Commons.

Upon turning a corner near some rocks and realizing that Mount Everest is right in front of you, there's a good chance you will want to exclaim, "Jesus!" but will be too overwhelmed to even finish the whole word as your voice trails off into a weird mush of vowels. And that's OK. We get the point.

You've seen Mount Everest. And you feel not unlike this:

GIF from "Everest"/Universal.

Who can blame you? I certainly can't.

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Universal Pictures: Everest

Dietitians are calling out WW’s Kurbo app for promoting unhealthy eating habits in kids, but is it as problematic as they think?

Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash

There's a difference between dieting and being healthy, and often times, overattention to what you consume can lead to disordered eating. Eating disorders are dangerous and can affect anyone, but they're especially concerning in adolescents. Which is why WW (formerly Weight Watchers) is facing intense criticism for its new app, Kurbo, targeted toward kids ages eight to 17.

The app uses a traffic light system to tell kids which foods are a "green light" and can be eaten as much as they want, which foods are a "yellow light" and should be consumed with caution, and which "red light" foods they should probably avoid.

It seems like a simple system to teach kids what's good for them and what's not, but it regulates kids' diets in an unhealthy way. Gaining weight is a normal, healthy part of child development. Putting on a few pounds means your body is doing what it's supposed to do. While the app classifies foods with too much fat or calories as "red," children need to consume some of these foods to develop their brain.

WW is calling the app "common sense." As Gary Foster, the chief science officer of WW, puts it, items in the red foods category "aren't foods that should be encouraged in kids' diets, but they also shouldn't be vilified or demonized, and there has to be a system that's simple and science-based that highlights that so everyone in the family can understand."

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Woman sets up secret camera in a bird feeder and the images are incredible

The camera snaps up to 7,000 photos a day.

via Ostdrossel / Instagram

Lisa is a lifelong bird enthusiast who goes by the name Ostdrossel on social media. A few years ago, the Germany native moved to Michigan and was fascinated by the new birds she encountered.

Upon arriving in the winter, she fell in love with the goldfinches, cardinals, and Blue Jays. Then in the spring, she was taken by the hummingbirds.

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Service dogs enjoy a performance of ‘Billy Elliot’ to learn how to behave in a theater

via Stratford Festival / Twitter

Service dogs are invaluable to their owners because they are able to help in so many different ways.

They're trained to retrieve dropped Items, open and close doors, help their owners remove their clothes, transport medications, navigate busy areas such as airports, provide visual assistance, and even give psychological help.

The service dog trainers at K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs in Canada want those who require service dogs to live the fullest life possible, so they're training dogs on how to attend a theatrical performance.

The adorable photos of the dogs made their way to social media where they quickly went viral.

On August 15, a dozen dogs from Golden Retrievers to poodles, were treated to a performance of "Billy Elliott" at the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada. This was a special "relaxed performance" featuring quieter sound effects and lighting, designed for those with sensory issues.

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"It's important to prepare the dogs for any activity the handler may like to attend," Laura Mackenzie, owner and head trainer at K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs, told CBC.

"The theater gives us the opportunity to expose the dogs to different stimuli such as lights, loud noises, and movement of varying degrees," she continued. "The dogs must remain relaxed in tight quarters for an extended period of time."

The dogs got to enjoy the show from their own seats and took a break with everyone else during intermission. They were able to familiarize themselves with the theater experience so they know how to navigate through crowds and fit into tight bathroom stalls.

via Stratford Festival / Twitter


via Stratford Festival / Twitter


via Stratford Festival / Twitter

"About a dozen dogs came to our relaxed performance, and they were all extremely well-behaved," says Stratford Festival spokesperson Ann Swerdfager. "I was in the lobby when they came in, then they took their seats, then got out of their seats at intermission and went back — all of the things we learn as humans when we start going to the theater."

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The dogs' great performance at the trial run means that people who require service animals can have the freedom to enjoy special experiences like going to the theater.

"It's wonderful that going to the theater is considered one of the things that you want to train a service dog for, rather than thinking that theater is out of reach for people who require a service animal, because it isn't," Swerdfager said.

The Stratford Festival runs through Nov. 10 and features productions of "The Merry Wives of Windsor," "The Neverending Story," "Othello," "Billy Elliot," "Little Shop of Horrors," "The Crucible" and more.

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