For journalists, podcasters, and writers
A one-page resource for covering Auralize, the CO₂ tolerance test, and breathwork training science. Everything below is free to use; attribution and links to auralize.app are appreciated.
Auralize is a web app for guided breathwork training. The standout feature is a free, browser-based CO₂ tolerance test that runs in 60 seconds, scores the user against five tiers (Wanderer, Seeker, Voyager, Trailblazer, Pulmonaut), and auto-prescribes a 14-day program calibrated to the result. The test is anonymous and requires no signup. The rest of the app — programs, assessments, session player — sits behind the standard onboarding.
The CO₂ tolerance score is the duration of one slow, controlled exhale after five guided coherence breaths at 5.5 seconds in / 5.5 seconds out. Tiers and emblems:
wanderer
seeker
voyager
trailblazer
pulmonaut
Wanderer (<20s), Seeker (20–29s), Voyager (30–59s), Trailblazer (60–79s), Pulmonaut (80s+). High-resolution emblem SVGs are embedded above and may be used for editorial coverage.
On the differentiation
"Most online CO₂ tolerance guides are text. Auralize runs the test, scores it, and ships a personalized 14-day plan calibrated to your result."
On the science
"The slow-exhale protocol Auralize uses was popularized by Brian Mackenzie and validated on Huberman Lab. The underlying mechanism is the Bohr effect — first described in 1904 — that links elevated CO₂ to better oxygen delivery."
On the user experience
"No signup. Sixty seconds. A tier from Wanderer to Pulmonaut, an interpretation, and a matched program. The whole point is to make the test the entry point, not a gated feature."
CO₂ tolerance refers to how comfortably the nervous system tolerates a rise in carbon dioxide before triggering the urge to breathe. Lower tolerance is associated with chronic over-breathing, anxiety, faster resting respiration, and earlier exercise breathlessness. Stronger tolerance correlates with calmer baseline physiology, better aerobic efficiency via the Bohr effect, and improved heart-rate variability. The Auralize protocol — slow-exhale assessment plus matched box-breathing intervals — was popularized by Brian Mackenzie and described in detail on the Huberman Lab podcast.
Every Auralize article cites peer-reviewed research where it exists and notes when evidence is preliminary, contested, or anecdotal. Editorial standards and the team behind the content are documented at /about/team.
Press inquiries, interview requests, and quotable expert availability: press@auralize.app.