Felix Baumgartner, who jumped from stratosphere, dies in Italy

Legacy and Reactions

• Many express sadness and respect, seeing him as someone who fully pursued his passions and left a striking legacy with the stratosphere jump and sound-barrier freefall.
• Several mention how his Red Bull Stratos jump inspired their children’s interest in space and flight; he’s remembered as a “favorite astronaut” figure for kids.
• Some note that his record was later surpassed in altitude by another high-altitude jumper but emphasize that Baumgartner “did it first” and remains a legend in the sport.

Circumstances of Death

• Reports differ slightly: some say a paragliding crash; others mention “sudden illness” leading to loss of control and a crash into a hotel pool.
• A translation nuance is discussed: “Unwohlsein” is closer to “feeling unwell” than “illness,” but commenters argue it implies something serious enough to need medical help.
• One Austrian report (summarized in the thread) suggests a camera on a string may have been caught in the propeller, potentially collapsing the wing; he allegedly tried an emergency chute but was too low.
• There is debate over how anyone could know he was unconscious in freefall; some point to medical forensics and possible sensor data.

Risk, Probability, and Extreme Sports

• Several comments frame his death as the cumulative outcome of “small chance each time” activities; if you engage in very high-risk sports for decades, the eventual outcome isn’t surprising.
• Micromorts are introduced as a way to quantify risk (e.g., motorbiking, hang-gliding, BASE jumping, summiting Everest). Discussion covers cumulative risk vs. per-event probability.
• Comparisons are drawn to other deaths in aviation or mountaineering and to everyday risks like driving, stairs, and cycling.

Ethics of Spectacle and Sponsorship

• Some criticize extreme-sports entertainment and note that sponsors rapidly scrub deceased athletes from marketing.
• A long subthread debates whether audiences mainly crave danger vs. technical skill (tightrope analogy), and whether performers have a responsibility not to indulge that appetite.
• Others defend athletes’ autonomy: they understand the risks and prefer a “full life” over safety, though some counter that family obligations change that calculus.

Political Controversies and Nobel Peace Prize

• Baumgartner’s praise of an illiberal European leader and stated preference for dictatorship over democracy are highlighted as major controversies, especially in Austria.
• This leads into broader debate about that country’s economic and political trajectory, communism’s legacy, and accusations of media bias.
• The Nobel Peace Prize is criticized as politicized, with several laureates cited as questionable; one proposal is to award it only to retired people over 70 to reduce real-time politics.