High mountains are beautiful, challenging, and often dangerous; they also have much to teach us. For 60 years, Dr. Charles Houston has climbed on the world's highest mountains, including K2, Nanda Devi, and Everest. For thirty years he has also been exploring how the body responds to a lack of oxygen, both at great altitude and during illness. Houston has authored or co-authored five books and 100 scientific papers, and he has practiced medicine all his adult life.

Houston will speak in Pacific Union College's Dauphinee Auditorium at 7 p.m. Monday, April 14. In this free, illustrated lecture, he will describe some of his pioneering Himalayan climbs and high-altitude research, relating his discoveries to work and recreation at lower altitudes, and to some life threatening illnesses.

Dr. Houston's presentation is the first in a series of annual lectures, called "Breakthroughs in Bioscience," to be held at Pacific Union College.