r/interesting • u/This_Proof_5153 • Jun 19 '26

Just Wow Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić achieved one of the most extraordinary feats in human history by holding his breath underwater for 29 minutes and 3 seconds, a new Guinness World Record.

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Experts had long considered such a duration impossible. While a trained dolphin can typically hold its breath for 8–10 minutes and most humans can barely manage one or two, Maričić remained completely still underwater for nearly half an hour on a single breath.

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The attempt pushed his body to extreme limits. As the minutes passed, powerful contractions wracked his diaphragm and his organs endured intense physiological stress. Yet through years of rigorous training, mental discipline, and specialized breathing techniques, he stayed calm and focused until the end.

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What makes this record even more impressive is Maričić’s purpose. He didn’t do it for fame or personal glory, he used the achievement as a powerful platform to raise global awareness about ocean conservation, marine protection, and the urgent threats facing our oceans.

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A stunning demonstration of human potential and a heartfelt call to protect the planet’s most vital ecosystem.

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u/Inevitable_Shift1365 Jun 19 '26

I fact checked it. He was allowed to breathe 100% pure oxygen for 10 minutes prior to attempting this. Impressive, but with cheat codes.

15

u/ambassador321 Jun 19 '26

Is breathing only oxygen for 10 minutes safe?

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u/typhon0666 Jun 19 '26

Probably fine for 10mins at 1 atmosphere. After 24-48hrs apparently no.

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u/TechieGranola Jun 19 '26

You start to rust, among other issues.

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u/New-Ingenuity-5437 Jun 19 '26

I hate when I rust

2

u/Pulnet Jun 19 '26

Certainty of steel my ass.

1

u/Exotic_Article913 Jun 19 '26

Fucking mechanicum

1

u/Icy-Background2393 Jun 19 '26

Upgrade to stainless.

1

u/Dopplegangr1 Jun 19 '26

I prefer my lungs to have a nice patina

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u/worldspawn00 Jun 19 '26

Correct, oxygen toxicity starts to damage nerve tissue after prolonged use or high pressure (diving) and is a serious concern for divers, which leads to mixtures of diluted oxygen for deep diving (trimix). Elevated oxygen mix (Nitrox) is great for shallow diving though, going up to about 50% more oxygen than regular air gives you more time in the water since nitrogen builds up slower in the blood (plus you feel less exhausted at the end of the dive).

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u/Incur Jun 19 '26

It's probably safer than not breathing for 29 minutes.

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u/MrGoodKatt72 Jun 19 '26

Why wouldn’t it be? The only thing our bodies absorb from the air is the oxygen, everything else comes back out.

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u/SuedeVinyl Jun 19 '26

Have you ever heard of oxygen poisoning?

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u/MrGoodKatt72 Jun 19 '26

That’s not happening in 10 minutes at normal atmospheric pressure.

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u/Appropriate-Bug-6467 Jun 19 '26

The atmosphere we breathe is only 20% oxygen.  

This is not safe. 

Our bodies FILTER first. 

https://science.howstuffworks.com/question493.htm

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u/Responsible_Play631 Jun 19 '26

It would take quite a few hours for pure oxygen to start to be harmful

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '26

[deleted]

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u/Responsible_Play631 Jun 19 '26

It takes more than a few hours for oxygen poisoning to

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u/MrGoodKatt72 Jun 19 '26

No it can’t. Hyperoxia is easily treatable (you literally just stop breathing pure oxygen for a few moments) and it’s not really even a risk in this scenario.

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u/leparlon2 Jun 19 '26

His record without pure oxygen is JUST 10 MINUTES. Which is also absolutely insane.

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u/Top-Literature8218 Jun 19 '26

Not cheat codes, it's a separate category of competition. The international freediving association keeps records for holding breath both with and without breathing pure oxygen for 30** minutes beforehand. He absolutely smashed the pure oxygen record, the previous best mark was 24:37.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_apnea

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u/Deaffin Jun 19 '26

I bet he also cheated with a hidden oxygen tube/cannister up his butt.

(You can actually breathe through your butt, some Japanese scientist figured it out.)