How To Stay Alive - From Shark Attacks to Plane Crashes

by HowStuffWorks

Survival is at the very core of who we are as a species. There’s no other way to say it—if early man didn’t have some strong survival chops, we wouldn’t be here today. And though some may argue that the human race has gotten collectively weaker as we’ve evolved, with our heated towel racks and panini presses, time and time again we have borne witness to harrowing tales of survival … surviving 10 weeks adrift in a life raft, amputating one’s own arm to escape the snare of a boulder, enduring sub-freezing temperatures for two weeks in an ice cave. For all the laziness and complacency modern luxuries have brought, ordinary humans have shown a remarkable ability to stay alive.

Getting yourself out of a dangerous situation in the wild is about two things—will and knowhow. You’ve got to want to get out of the jungle alive, and your chances are greatly increased if you know a little something about your predicament. Outdoorsmen and adventurers are generally well prepared to deal with emergencies. It’s the person who slides off a desolate mountain road on a snowy night who may be in trouble.

So even if your idea of adventure is watching Bear Grylls on TV, you’d be wise to read the following collection of survival strategies—the bare essentials on how to stay alive in most scenarios.

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2012

About the author

HowStuffWorks.com is the source for credible, unbiased explanations of how the world actually works. Our premise is simple: Demystify the world in a way that anyone can understand.

Reviews

[Charmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Survival skill refresher about how to make better decisions in worst-case situations.
Given recent boating accidents, it is important to be reminded of what to do if things go bad.

Watch video tutorial (Man OverBoard and Abandoning Ship): http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/72...