Respiratory System

The respiratory system includes the nose, throat, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. Discover how the respiratory system supplies blood with necessary oxygen and relieves it of the waste product carbon dioxide.

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Surely you've had the wind knocked out of you at some point in your life. But what's really going on inside your body?

By Dominique Michelle Astorino

Believe it or snot, almost every living creature has some kind of mucus - because mucus does so many things. A study found mucus was so beneficial to mammals, it evolved independently in species.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

We've probably all been breathing wrong our entire lives. Why is that? Experts suggest we should focus on breathing through our noses and most of us don't.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

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The function of the respiratory system is to bring oxygen to all the parts of your body. Learn what the function of the respiratory system is in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

The respiratory system organs include the airways, the lungs, and the blood vessels and muscles attached to them. Learn what the respiratory system organs are in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

The respiratory system has several ways to defend itself, including cilia fibers. Learn more about how the respiratory system defends itself from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

In the movie "WaterWorld," Kevin Costner's character has a mutation that gives him gills behind the ears. Could a mutation allow people to swim in the water just like fish --without having to use any sort of scuba equipment?

By Marshall Brain

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You couldn't breathe without your lungs and you do it without even thinking about it. So, how do your lungs manage this amazing feat?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

You breath all day, every day. How much oxygen does this process consume?

By Sherry Kahn