Alex Honnold Climbs Taipei 101 Without Gear

American rock climber Alex Honnold recently took on an urban challenge in Taiwan, setting a new standard for daring climbs.

On January 25th, Honnold ascended the towering Taipei 101 skyscraper, completing the feat without any ropes or protective gear. The climb was also broadcast live on Netflix.

He reached the peak of the 101-story structure in just 1 hour and 31 minutes, celebrating by waving his arms once he arrived at the top.

Despite the wind, he described the view as “amazing” afterward.

Honnold has an impressive resume as a climber, having tackled prominent mountain ranges in the U.S. and the massive cliffs of Greenland—some three times taller than the Empire State Building.

A study back in 2016 involving neuroscientist Jane Joseph tried to shed light on what drives someone like Honnold to attempt such high-risk feats. Joseph was among the first to use fMRI scans on “sensory seekers.”

Her team found that Honnold’s amygdala, the brain region usually associated with fear, showed very little activity when exposed to typically frightening images.

“Neuroscientists found no activity anywhere in the fear center of Honnold’s brain,” the findings indicated.

In a different part of the experiment, researchers offered a reward task. In a normal brain, the amygdala lights up like a Christmas tree, but for Honnold, it appeared “black and white and lifeless.” The only active areas were those related to visual processing, confirming he was indeed alert.

“There’s not much going on in my brain,” Honnold remarked. “That alone won’t do anything.”

Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist based in California, didn’t conduct any scans on Honnold but specializes in brain imaging and noted that scans of extreme athletes typically reveal reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex. This area is crucial for managing fear, controlling impulses, and assessing risks, he explained.

Amen added that reward and motivation pathways are highly activated in these individuals, meaning they often need a higher level of excitement to feel truly engaged.

“Some people exhibit reduced amygdala reactivity, so situations that cause fear for most people do not trigger the same alarm response,” he noted.

He summarized it like this: “In short, their brains are less ‘scared’ and more driven by challenge and novelty.”

Based on extensive brain scans at his clinic, Amen indicated that what sets apart individuals like Honnold, termed “elite extreme performers,” is their “extraordinary top-down control.” Their prefrontal cortex remains engaged under stress, allowing for sharp focus and sound decision-making, crucial in high-risk scenarios.

Fear responses might be activated just enough to sharpen attention without hindering performance.

Honnold’s brain, like those of other extreme athletes, tends to be highly efficient at integrating sensory inputs, making movements and balance work together seamlessly.

Instead of panicking, their brains enter a controlled flow state, maintaining a calm and precise level of attention.

Amen contrasted this with average brains, which often experience quicker and more intense fear responses. When faced with danger, the prefrontal cortex can “go offline,” leading to hesitation and overthinking.

“Most people find a strong mismatch between perceived risks and their ability to control them, which keeps them safe but limits extreme performance,” he said.

Conversely, for extreme athletes, increased adrenaline can actually help organize their thought processes. “Their brains are not reckless; they are better controlled under stress, while the average brain tends to focus on safety and avoidance,” he concluded.