Breathing is essential to almost all living beings. Of course, you knew that already. However, while we have all become so conscious about our health today, how many of us actually give a second thought to the process of breathing and respiration?
Breathing is the most normal and regular activity we perform every minute of the day; even when we are sleeping. The process of breathing is fascinating across living beings. Here, we can take a detailed look at different ways of breathing in three different living beings – humans, birds and grasshoppers. Each of them has a respiratory system that is unique and will give a glimpse of nature’s curious ways.
1. Human Lungs:
Human lungs are part of the body’s respiratory system. The primary function of the lungs is to process the gas exchange for respiration. The lungs take oxygen from the environment and transfer it to the bloodstream. To breathe properly, humans use structures outside of the lungs - the diaphragm, the intercostal muscles (located between the ribs), the abdominal muscles, and sometimes, neck muscles as well.
The diaphragm, a muscle that sits below the lungs, does the majority of the work involved. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves down and provides more space in the chest cavity and enhances the lungs' ability to expand. The pressure inside goes down when the chest cavity volume increases. Then the air is sucked in through the nose or mouth and moves down into the lungs.
Another point worth noting is that the human chest cavity is always at a lower pressure than the outside environment. This is usually 760 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) at sea level.
2. Bird Lungs:
The respiratory system of birds is quite different from that of mammals. Birds do have lungs, but they do not have a diaphragm. The air moves in and out of their bodies through pressure changes in the air sacs. While the air sacs are not directly related to gas exchange, they do help in directing airflow through the lungs in one direction. The muscles in their chest cause the sternum to be pushed outward. Because of this, negative pressure in the air sacs is created which leads the air to enter the respiratory system.
The lungs of birds do not expand or contract like the lungs of mammals. They have thin-walled, tubular structures called parabronchi that are located throughout the lungs between the secondary bronchi. While the air moves in one direction through the lungs, it also flows in one direction through the parabronchi. Basically, from one secondary bronchus into another.
The respiratory system of birds transfers more oxygen with each breath. It is the remarkable air sacs, though, which really make the respiratory system of birds unique. They enable regular, one-way flow during both inspiration and expiration.
3. Grasshopper Trachea:
You would be surprised to know that grasshoppers have no lungs. Like all insects, they breathe through a complex network of tubules called the tracheae. While the exchange of gases happens through the tracheal system, it is the spiracles where the air is taken in first. This system is comprised of ten spiracles that are located along the length of the grasshopper’s abdomen in eight pairs. They also have two more pairs in the thoracic region.
Oxygen disperses into their cells directly and then into the atmosphere. This completes the grasshopper’s respiration process. Their spiracles take in air with the control of their brains. Furthermore, they also have a few spiracles that perform the job of expiration of air as well. The tracheae inside humans do the role of cleaning the air. For grasshoppers, this system works as an independent operation and is not involved with the circulatory system.
Scientists Discover the FIRST Animal That Doesn’t Breathe
This alien looking animal is a relative of jellyfish and it's outstanding, as unlike all other animals on Earth, it doesn’t require oxygen
10 Unanswered Mysteries You've Always Wondered About!
You might not have thought about the most curious cases of the bizarre things that we encounter every day.
Can A.I Catch What Doctors Miss? A Fascinating Talk
How close are we to that and can AI really do better than a human doctor? This fascinating TED Talk addresses these issues.
How Can Parrots Speak Like Humans?
How can parrots speak like humans, despite being super under-equipped for the task?
Study: Can Our Sense of Time Heal Us Faster?
A recent groundbreaking study delves into how our perception of time can significantly impact the physical process of healing.
Pigeons Have Played a Massive Role in World History
Pigeons are one of the most common birds in the world, but they're utterly underrated. In fact, they have played a huge role in world history. Find out more...
Science Proves: These 10 Bible Stories Probably Did Happen
The Bible describes many seemingly supernatural cases, but today, science can show that they might have indeed happened.
Researchers Claim This Ingredient Can Cure Depression!
A preliminary study has suggested that magic mushrooms may be able to soothe the symptoms of depression. Read here to find out more.
Here Are the 16 Oldest Household Objects in the World
If you think ancient life is remote, these pre-historic household items will make you think again. Just look at how old they are!
When Under a Microscope, Even Ordinary Things Seem Alien
Have you ever given any thought to what every day things look like under a microscope? Some of these images are truly beautiful - see for yourself in the images below.
6 Remarkable Yet Overlooked Minds That Shaped Our World
These underappreciated geniuses deserve more recognition.
The COOLEST Flames in the World - Jaw-Dropping!
Have you ever seen a flame as epic as this? Find out how it's made...
The BIGGEST Indoor Ocean in the World - Jaw-Dropping!
Did you know that the US Navy has a football field-sized indoor ocean that can create any wave?
Understanding the Aging Process of Our Body Parts
Find out how every organ and body part in our body changes with age.
These 11 Brain Facts Are Enough to Boggle Your Mind
When you consider the sheer complexity of the human brain, it's difficult to wrap your head around it. Learn these 11 fascinating facts about the human brain.
Visual Illusions: What Color Are These Strawberries?
Tricking our brain into believing that something is one color or shape than another thing is surprisingly easy, but can we explain why?
What Metals Do We Mine the Most? This Graph Shows All!
Did you know the world mined 2.8 billion tonnes of metals in 2021? Let’s discover what metals we mined the most.
25 Feats of Engineering that Leave Everyone Amazed
The amount of planning and sheer brain power it took to design and execute these structures, proving once again that there are true geniuses out there.
Discover How Anesthesia Affects Your Body and Mind
If you were ever curious about how exactly anesthesia works, then this video has all the answers!
6 Weird and Creepy Medical Tools of the Past
After seeing these weird and creepy medical devices of the past, you’ll be thankful you live in the 21st century. Take a look for yourself.
The Curious Science of Tricking Your Taste Buds
Did you know you could confuse your sense of taste? Find out how!
12 Earliest Versions of Tech Inventions We Use Every Day
Witness the evolution of 11 popular devices we use all the time by looking at how they all started...
25 Pics Showing How People in the Past Imagined the Future
Let’s see how the people of the past imagined the future and find out if their fun predictions came true with these 25 vintage pictures
3 Surefire Ways to Always Identify Pseudoscience
Find out how you can identify pseudoscience, and learn how it differs from actual science.
14 of the Most Fascinating Specialized Tools You'll See
We bet you haven’t seen these unique tools before!
The Facts You Didn't Know About the Human Body...
Discover 120 fascinating and surprising facts about your body you may not have known. Going over most of the body parts, you will learn so much you never knew about the body we all use.
How Can You Recognize a Fake Gadget Before Buying It?
More often than not, you're almost unable to recognize them. So, before purchasing the product you want to have, bear in mind the following tips:
The History of Our Planet in One Beautiful Spiral...
This beautiful infographic offers us a remarkable story – the history of Planet Earth.
Behind the Scenes of the Human-Like Atlas Robot
In this video, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the incredible Atlas robot.
12 Mind-Blowing Archaeological Discoveries Of 2022
Archaeologists made some remarkable discoveries in 2022. Here is a look at the most fascinating ones.
The Psychology Behind Why Some People Are Habitually Late
Now we finally know why some people are habitually late.
I Never Knew These Stunning Facts About Our Universe
If you thought you understood the universe, you'll be completely floored by this insane facts.
20 Incredible Inventions That We Have Completely Lost
Here are some of the most amazing ideas and inventions we have ever seen. But, sadly, all of them have been lost to science in the mysterious mists of history.
Why is Everyone Obsessed with This Weight-Loss Tool?
Ozempic has been touted as a wonder drug for weight loss in recent months. But what's the real truth behind it?
Science Lesson: How Does Laser Tattoo Removal Work?
How laser removal of tattoos actually works. These guys are going to find out and explain it to us.
10 Incredible Animal-Inspired Robots
Let's meet some incredibly realistic robotic animals.
Sleep Inventions: 16 Gadgets to Help You Doze Off
If you frequently struggle with sleep, then trying these amazing new sleep innovations could help change your life.
Amazing Science: THIS is the True Scale of Our Universe...
Get a sense of the true scale and shape of the universe we've discovered so far.
7 Weird Facts About the Human Voice That Will Surprise You
We bet you didn’t know these peculiar facts about the human voice.
Is it REALLY the Coffee that Wakes Us Up in the Morning?
A recent study has revealed that the coffee you drink may just be a placebo...
This Visual Shows the Science Behind the Shape of Rivers
A fascinating visual model that explains why and how rivers change their course.
This Secret Invention Changed the Course of WW2
Let’s take a closer look at the proximity fuze, also called Vt Fuze, an invention that changed the course of the second World War.
16 Surprising Things I Never Knew About Sleeping!
Who knew there was so much we don't know about our most popular activity! Here are 16 facts you may not have known about your sleep.
These Inventions Prove the Middle Ages Were Not So “Dark”
These groundbreaking inventions prove the Middle Ages were not so “dark,” after all!
15 Frightening Animals Early Humans Had to Live With
10 scary animals early cavemen in Africa had to deal with 200,000 years ago.
Introducing the Astronauts That Were Just Launched Into Space
The two astronauts — veteran NASA fliers Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are honored to have been on this flight. Let's get to know them!
These 20 Tech Inventions Will Define the Next Decade
The future is here. Check out some emerging technologies that are all set to chane our world forever.