Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Cave on Earth

By James M Tabor

Blind descent is a book about the race to discover the deepest cave on the earth. The underground race took place in the late 90s between two obsessed men, one exploring the Cheve Cave in Oaxaca, Mexico and one exploring the Kubura cave in the Eastern European country of Georgia. The book takes you for a wild ride, showing why caving is one of the world’s most dangerous endeavors.

And why exactly is super caving so dangerous? Some of the pitfalls include fatal falls, asphyxiation, hypothermia, hurricane-force winds, electrocution, earthquakes, poison gas, drowning, rabid bats, snakes, scorpions, spiders, sulphuric gas, hydrochloric acid, and radon. Even ebola is thought to have began in a cave in Uganda. Oh, to to mention a hazard so obvious that it’s easy to forget: getting lost.

“Extreme cave exploration is just as exciting, difficult, and deadly as any pioneering feat in the mountains, oceans, polar regions, or even off-planet. I thought there could be no environment as hostile as the lunar surface. No more.” said astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Overall this is a very thrilling read and highly recommended. Check it out here.