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Articles on Breathing

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Kate Winslet promoting ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in London in December 2022. Winslet held her breath for over seven minutes during filming of the movie. (Shutterstock)

The science of holding your breath: How could Kate Winslet stay underwater for over 7 minutes in Avatar 2?

Kate Winslet held her breath for an impressive 7 minutes and 15 seconds while filming, but the current world record is over 24 minutes. Here’s how people learn to stay underwater for extended periods of time.
A part of the brain called the lateral parabrachial nucleus regulates pain, anxiety and breathing. Aleksei Morozov/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Pain and anxiety are linked to breathing in mouse brains – suggesting a potential target to prevent opioid overdose deaths

Opioids can cause death by slowing breathing to dangerously low levels, or stopping it altogether. Examining one area of the brain may eventually lead to safer painkillers.
Breathing pure oxygen would be like fireworks exploding in your body. And that’s not always a good thing. Shutterstock

Curious Kids: what happens if you breathe pure oxygen?

You might think the more oxygen you breathe in the better. But too much oxygen can make you sick.
Breathing in through the nose is an integral part of meditation and delivers virus-fighting gases to the lungs. triloks / Getty Images

The right way to breathe during the coronavirus pandemic

The body has many natural defenses against viruses and other pathogens. One antiviral molecule produced in the body is nitric oxide and it is created when we breathe in through the nose.
Her deep breath has to get to the baby. electravk/Moment via Getty Images

How does a baby ‘breathe’ while inside its mom?

A fetus needs oxygen long before its lungs work and it’s exposed to the air. Some ingenious biochemistry explains how the mother’s blood delivers it.
Large and small particulates in fire smoke can irritate the the thin lining of the respiratory tract, causing throat irritation, coughing and breathing difficulties. Erik Anderson/AAP

I’m struggling to breathe with all the bushfire smoke – could I have undiagnosed asthma?

Bushfire smoke is making it difficult for some people to breathe. Those with asthma are at particular risk, but not everyone with the condition has been diagnosed. Here’s what to look out for.

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