Science of Survival: Cliffhanger, Part 1
Outside Podcast
00:00
The Effects of Altitude on Breathing Efficiency
At sea level, a lung full of air is 21% oxygen. At 13,000 feet in La Paz, the air is still 21%, but the molecules themselves are farther apart. If you could spread your lungs out and iron them flat, they'd have about the same surface area as a tennis court. Suddenly, it's like they're the size of basketballs. You can't fit as many on the court.
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