[Evan Stanbury]

Evan Stanbury  asked the Naked Scientists:

   

Hi...



I have heard it said that bird lungs are more efficient than mammal lungs - the reason given was something to do with one-way flow and their hollow bones.



I haven't been able to find anything understandable about it on the internet - is this true?



Where would the air go after it went into their bones?



Thanks



Evan



What do you think?

[Hemo_jr]

You have not directly answered the question, but I infer the answer is: yes, bird lungs/respiratory system is more efficient. And in a geologic era where free atmospheric oxygen is scarcer, I would expect mammals to compete more poorly than now.

[olga]

hi

[Monox D. I-Fly]

I read somewhere that birds only exhale air without inhaling any when flying. So, is a bird flying equivalent to a human swimming?

[Bored chemist]

Air doesn't really enter the bones.