THE LUNGS

a real scan, breathing

where this comes from

Scan: the lungs, trachea, main bronchi and diaphragm are BodyParts3D (© DBCLS, CC BY-SA 2.1 JP), measured, not sculpted. Drawn: the airway tree (the scan stops at the main bronchi), the alveoli and capillaries (to real proportions), the tar, the airflow and the breathing motion.

480 million alveoli: Ochs et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004. 23 generations: Weibel 1963. Surface area and barrier thickness: Weibel; Gehr et al. 1978. Tidal volume, red-cell transit, inspired O₂ = 0.2095 × (PB − 47): West, Respiratory Physiology. Everest summit pressure 253 mmHg: West et al. 1983. Blood from climbers at 8,400 m: Grocott et al., NEJM 2009. Smoking figures: US CDC; lung function after quitting: Fletcher & Peto, BMJ 1977. Breath-holding: Parkes, Exp Physiol 2006.

Education only, not medical advice. If you are worried about your breathing, talk to a doctor.