Is deoxygenated blood blue?

     A common misconception, the concept of blue blood has been around ever since keen observers began exploring the wonders of the cardiovascual system. The reasoning behind this misleading theory seems to stem from the fact that our veins - which carry deoxygenated blood - appear to be blue to us, and thus, their contents musat reflect this stark color. The reality however is far less conclusive. This theory goes under several assumptions, namely assuming that veins are transparent enough to emit the color of the blood they carry, and relies heavily on the concept that it is only oxygen that gives blood its crimson hue.

    Prior to defeating this misleading theory which seems to have alluded many a biology teachers and some students, time should be allotted to discuss the science behind oxygenated red blood. Blood contains millions of hemoglobins which attach to oxygen molecules, releasing them to every individual cell in the body. The oxygen-enriched blood cells are bright red in color due to the oxidation of the iron present in each hemoglobin protein. When the oxygen vacated the hemoglobin, the cell defaults to its original state - dark red. This is why blood drawn into a vacuum (e.g. a syringe)  remains a solid red color, and blood released in oil will remain red despite any contact with oxygen.

     So then why are veins blue? It should be noted that colour is not necessarily a property, but just wavelengths of light being reflected towards the observer. Human fat allows only blue light to penetrate deep into the veins, and the deoxygenated blood only further absorbs the darker wavelengths. The end result appears to be a dark and blue vein that appears to carry bluish blood. Any meat aficionado will be able to tell you that veins are not distinguished from other blood vessels, and instead appear brownish-red in color. 

What are the effects of having only one lung?

A dash of perspective by Rawel Sidhu and Michael Panderla

Although rare, it is possible to be born with only one lung. Such a birth defect can highly increase the infant mortality rate for the child, and it could greatly decrease their chance of survival without proper equipment and specialized ventilation. Victims of lung cancer or lung trauma often require the surgical removal of the effected lung.

Patients with only one lung sharply increase their risk of contracting pneumonia and other lung diseases. Subsequently, lung cancer patients can often find their other lung at risk of cancer or other breathing impediments, thus the usage of a ventilator may be required.

SRxA, a pharmaceutical consulting firm, confirms that"In America alone, it’s estimated that more than 40,000 people have only one lung. And most of them do just fine because the body tends to compensate by making the other lung grow larger."http://srxawordonhealth.com/2013/03/15/life-without-a-lung-and-other-vital-organs/

Interestingly enough, the newly appointed Pope, Pope Francis, has only one lung, which hasn't prevented him from performing his duties as the head of the Catholic Church. Removal of one lung itself hasn't been all to modern, as pneumonectomy has been around since the 1950's, where the lack of antibiotics made post-surgery fatalities all to common. Nevertheless, with the influx of modern medicine, the removal of one lung no longer carries with it the death sentence it once held, and with the advent of even more discoveries in science, the outlook for patients needing the removal of one lung seems brighter than ever. 

Respiratory System: Vital Capacity

1) My vital capacity of 4.8L was slightly above average among my fellow male collegues. This may be because of my past swimming experiences as well as my large build. There may also be some genetic factors which affect my vital capacity, as well as some environmental hindernances such as air pollution and elevation that may affect the results.

2) The average single breath can range from a half-liter for quick shallow breaths to up to six liters for a deep intentionally pronlonged breath. There are several factors which afffect vital capacity, including: height weight, age, sex, genetic makeup, physical training, as well as mental efforts and state of mind. 

3)  During regular exhalation, the diaphragam relaxes, creating an area of relatively high pressure inside the thoracic cavity resulting in the air being forced outwards. During forced exhalation, in order to create a smaller volume and thus a higher pressure in the thoracic capactiy, there are several muscles in the abdomen and chest that contract to further the differnce in the two air masses resulting in a greater volume of air being expelled outwards.