The physiology of survival: From the third man to placebo escape hatch?
Frank E Marino, Alexander F Marino · 2026
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Description
Frank Marino and Alexander Marino explore the physiology of survival through the third man, the sensed companion reported by people in extreme danger. Ernest Shackleton described such a presence during his 1916 crossing of South Georgia, when three men each felt a fourth beside them.
The authors argue the sensed presence is not madness but a normal, helpful response to isolation, monotony, cold, low oxygen, and threat. They link it to the body's forward-looking controls, which adjust effort, pacing, and perception before hard limits are reached. A felt companion can hold off despair and keep a person moving, which itself protects body function. Marino asks whether belief and expectation, like a placebo escape hatch, can shift survival odds.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Frank E Marino, Alexander F Marino |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 16 KB |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |