Gaston Tissandier (1843-1899) was a French chemist, meteorologist, aeronaut and editor. His most adventurous air trip took place near Paris in April 1875. He and companions Joseph Croce-Spinelli and Theodore Henri Sivel were able to reach in a balloon the unheard-of altitude of 28,000 feet. Both of his companions died from breathing the thin air. Tissandier survived, but became deaf.