Falling from too high a point can kill you. But we've heard of stories of people surviving falls of up to 10,000 feet high. So how far can you fall without dying? What are the chances of survival? Mental Floss' Jake Rossen's findings were somewhat shocking: it depends on how you fall and upon what you land.

Basically, stretching out time is key to survival.


Falling face down, splayed out in a belly flop position to increase the drag is the biggest factor in keeping you alive.


You want to land on a surface that will increase the time of impact. Basically, something softer helps.


People who survived falls managed to increase that time.


A soldier named Alan Magee fell at 20,000 feet. And survived by crashing through the glass roof of a train station.


The glass slowed him down enough for him to survive the fall.


The highest you can fall from and possibly survive is at 60,000 feet.


But let's not go there.