Google Exec Breaks World Skydiving Record

This is pretty strange. A 57-year-old executive at Google has broken a skydiving record by jumping out of a helium balloon and dropping 25 miles down to land (without breaking any bones) in New Mexico. In the process, Alan Eustace beat the world skydiving record and exceeded the speed of sound as well on his way down.

Mr. Eustace took off in his balloon Friday morning and jumped out from just about the top of the earth's stratosphere at an altitude of 135,890. According to reports, he didn't just get up there and decide to immediately jump, but hung around for half an hour or so admiring the scenery.

On his way down, he went faster than the speed of sound, reaching more than 800 miles per hour, creating a small sonic boom.

Over three years of preparation went into the jump. He wore a space suit specially designed by Paragon Space Development Corporation, a company dedicated to exploring the stratosphere above 100,000 feet.

The previous record was set by Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner who parachuted back in 2012 from a height of 128,000 feet.

Mr. Eustace also broke several other world records including the fastest vertical speed reached during freefall (822 mph) and total freefall distance of 123,414 feet, lasting four minutes and 27 seconds.

Wow, what a ride that must have been!