A Breath's Journey From Air to Blood

Take an ordinary breath, and air crosses a remarkable border. Oxygen moves from the outside world into your blood, while carbon dioxide moves toward the exit. The exchange happens across a surface folded deep inside your chest, where air and blood come within a tiny distance of each other. Inside this episode: - Making Room - The First Passage - The Branching Tree - The Air Sacs - Oxygen Crosses Sources include the references linked below. Sources and further reading: - [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, How the Lungs Work](https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/lungs) - [National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, What Breathing Does for the Body](https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/lungs/breathing-benefits) This episode provides general education about how the body works. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or a substitute for professional care. Follow Human Body Explained for more clear journeys through how we work.