How Do Marine Mammals Hold Their Breath For So Long?
How is it possible for air-breathing marine mammals like sperm whales and elephant seals to hold their breath for so long? You can help protect the thousands ...
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We're celebrating Earth's oceans this week with a series of videos about the oceans. We're not just talking about creatures with gills, though, we're also talking about air-breathing animals that have adapted to living and hunting in the ocean because they are really good at holding their breath. Sperm Whales and Elephant Seals can stay underwater for an hour or two which is pretty impressive for marine mammals And the Cuvier's Beaked Whale holds the mammalian title for longest recorded dive at 137 and a half minutes So what is going on in their bodies that make these long dives possible? We need oxygen to help our cells make energy, in a process that also makes carbon dioxide. When you have too much carbon dioxide in your body, it makes your blood more acidic whi...
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We're celebrating Earth's oceans this week with a series of videos about the oceans. We're not just talking about creatures with gills, though, we're also talking about air-breathing animals that have adapted to living and hunting in the ocean because they are really good at holding their breath. Sperm Whales and Elephant Seals can stay underwater for an hour or two which is pretty impressive for marine mammals And the Cuvier's Beaked Whale holds the mammalian title for longest recorded dive at 137 and a half minutes So what is going on in their bodies that make these long dives possible? We need oxygen to help our cells make energy, in a process that also makes carbon dioxide. When you have too much carbon dioxide in your body, it makes your blood more acidic whi...
