How long can humans hold their breath: 3 lung facts

Every air that humans breathe and exhale will not work well without the existence of an organ called the lung. Generally every human being has two lungs (right and left), where the lungs are also one of the largest organs in the body.

Usually, the left lung is slightly smaller than the right one. Because the left lung has to share space with the heart in order to fit into the chest cavity. The lungs and the heart are placed close together for the purpose of working together properly, and are surrounded by ribs that protect these two important organs.

It cannot be denied that the lungs are one of the most important organs in the human body. But how much do you know this organ?

A person can hold their breath for 20 more minutes

Usually, a person can hold their breath for about 30-60 seconds. Why can't humans hold their breath for long? Basically, this limitation is more often caused by a buildup of carbon dioxide in the lungs.

It's different if you compare it to divers who can linger in the water. Divers usually have different breathing techniques, an example is hyperventilation. This technique is useful for reducing the build-up of carbon dioxide in the blood, so maybe when they can hold their breath for a long time, about 20 minutes on a single dive.

The lungs are the only organs that can float on water

Did you know that your lungs can float on water? Yes, each of your lungs actually contains about 300 million balloon-like cell structures called alveoli. These alveoli replace the waste carbon dioxide in the blood with oxygen. When these cell structures are filled with air, the lungs can become the only organs in the human body that can float on water.

A medical study researched by the International Journal of Legal Medicine in 2013, states that there is a medical examination of the lungs as buoys. This examination is related to the purpose of the baby's autopsy to determine whether the baby is still alive or has died in the womb. If the baby's lungs float, it is certain that the baby in the womb is still alive. But if the lungs don't float, chances are the baby was born lifeless. This method has been widely practiced by doctors, and is usually 98% accurate over time.

The lungs became an important symbol in ancient Egypt

Neither humans nor animals will be able to breathe air smoothly without the lungs. Now, because the lungs are considered to be very important organs of the body, people in ancient Egypt greatly exalted the lungs. They think that the lungs have a separate relationship for survival. To the extent that they created hieroglyphs (sacred carvings) depicting the lungs and throat to symbolize unity in their former country.

It is not uncommon to find various ancient artifacts during Pharaoh's time, including clothing, furniture, jewelery and wall carvings that much resemble the shape of a lung.