Science

A Man Drinks a Fifth of Jack Daniel’s in 13 Seconds

How much alcohol does it take to kill you?

A man recently posted a video of himself drinking an entire fifth of whiskey in 13 seconds, and laudatory headlines quickly followed (along with recriminations from Jack Daniel’s itself). What happens to someone who drinks so much so quickly?

In this case, the man said he was fine, if contrite. But in general, that depends on a few factors, according to George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. As the video above shows, blood alcohol levels creeping toward .40 increase your risk of death dramatically, no matter your “tolerance.”