Oxygen
Under normal conditions, oxygen is a colourless gas, constituting almost 21 per cent of the Earth’s atmosphere. Oxygen is an element that is found in a vast number of molecules including water and organic compounds such as amino acids and fats. After we breathe it in, oxygen is used in our bodies for respiration, to release energy from glucose. However, even though oxygen is essential for life, breathing pure oxygen can actually kill you. Atmospheric oxygen is replenished by plants by photosynthesis.
Where were my body's atoms a million years ago?
Travel back in time and discover the surprising origin story of the atoms that make up your body - a million years in the making.
How do baby birds breathe inside their eggs?
A cracking good question. Clever egg-ineering (groans) creates a type of lung tissue between the chick and outside.
Who really discovered oxygen?
Although Joseph Priestley was the first to publish his findings on the important element, was he the first to discover the gas?
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Why is air invisible?
Like the hair on your uncle’s head, gas molecules in the air are spread so thinly it's hard to tell they're there at all.
How can something explode in the vacuum of space?
In space no one can hear you explode…
Oldest oxygen in the Universe discovered
Astronomers find oxygen in galaxy 13.1 billion years old, offering clues to the formation of galaxies after the Big Bang.
What’s the longest an animal can survive without oxygen?
Who said animals needed oxygen at all!
How does Earth maintain a constant level of oxygen?
Global warming and climate change are causing a serious problem with keeping oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere at a constant level.
Could alien life breathe a gas other than oxygen?
Breathing sulphur sounds cool but it would get old breathing air that smells of rotten eggs!
Is atmospheric oxygen declining, and does it matter?
If you’re concerned about oxygen shortages, then fear not, just take a deep breath and read on.
How 'stale' is the recycled air in a plane?
Though there is a continual flow of fresh air into the aeroplane, this has to be processed before it's introduced into the cabin.
How many plants would I need in an airtight room to be able to breathe?
You'll want some leafy friends locked in with you not only provide oxygen but to also remove carbon dioxide. Problem is you'll also need a pretty big room.
Could a bird fly in space if provided with oxygen?
One might wonder to where the bird was migrating...
Could we have evolved without oxygen?
People say you can't live without love, but oxygen is more important.
Could life survive if the atmosphere disappeared?
We were having a great time, but then the atmosphere just got sucked out of the place.
What effect does carbon capture have on atmospheric oxygen?
Carbon dioxide has long been identified as a key player in global warming, as part of this it has a profound affect on the oxygen in our atmosphere.