Mount Everest holds a special place in the minds of human beings all over the world. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world and is considered one of the most difficult to summit. Named after Sir George Everest in 1865, the British surveyor-general of India, the mountain was once known as Peak 15. In Nepal, Everest is known as Sagarmatha - goddess of the sky. The Tibetans call Everest Chomolungma - mother goddess of the universe.

Image Courtesy NASA Visible Earth

Its summit ridge towers over the Himalayan mountain range separating Nepal and Tibet. Within the Himalayan mountain range are the world's 14 8,000 meter peaks.

The mountain was first officially climbed in May 29,1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay via the South Col Route with oxygen support. Their summit followed several failed expeditions attempts of which the Mallory & Irvine Expedition in 1924 is the most prominent and still a matter of debate.

At the summit, climbers experience roughly one third of the oxygen pressure available at sea level; therefore, Mount Everest is usually climbed with oxygen support.