BASE is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennas (referring to radio masts), spans (bridges) and earth (cliffs).[1][2] Participants jump from a fixed object such as a cliff and, after an optional freefall delay, deploy a parachute to slow their descent and land. A popular form of BASE jumping is wingsuit BASE jumping.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASE_jumping

Good to know. I always thought it would be more exciting to jump from the top!

TIL.

So technically, if I jump from the roof of my garden shed, it is BASE jumping. Free solo if I omit the parachute. Or is it mandatory to use one?

Seems bacronym-ish

What about BASS jumping?

Get a tiny one from those army men toys, glue it to your shoulder. BASE jump accomplished!

Bonus points if you go inside and listen to Ace of Base afterwards.

I always heard it as Bridges and Skyscrapers, but since it is a very international sport then "spans" makes more sense.

Photographer Carl Boenish helped coin BASE as a description of the sport’s adrenaline-inspiring launch points (buildings, antennas, spans, earth) in 1978, when he videotaped early jumps from Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan rock formation.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/base-jumper-fatally-plunges-700-feet-wingsuit-failure-utah-rcna600114

That's illegal unless you work for the FBI.

Huh, and here I always thought it was rooted from "jumping from a stationary base" like a building or cliff. Neat!

They had a chance to call it BABE jumping and didn't take it. Weak. /s

I cooked you a delicious bass

I thought the base is what you hit when the chute doesn’t open.

I’d like to see one jump from Earth to not-Earth.

I still prefer Big-Assed Splattery Execution

I always jump from the Earth into the atmosphere.

It puts me in a very close orbit. 10 cm or so.
This is much closer to impact than what the chickens with parachutes dare do.