Breathing

Arsenic is toxic to almost all life forms, but now researchers have discovered that some microbes in the Pacific Ocean actively breathe it. The discovery has implications for how life may adapt to a changing climate, as well as where we might find it on other planets.

If global warming causes flooding that inundates the world's coastal urban areas, how will we cope? Biomimicry designer and material scientist Jun Kamei answer is Amphibio – an artificial gill and a breathing reservoir that will allow people to hang out in the submerged megacities.

​Whether you're practising yoga or running a marathon, coaches will tell you to control your breathing. Given that coaches can't be with you at all times, though, Zansors' new wearable Respa device is designed to be the next-best thing.

​If you have chronic nasal congestion, it could be due to an obstruction caused by the shape of your internal nasal valve. A new device is designed to permanently address the problem, without the need for surgery.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have uncovered a neurophysiological link between respiration and cognition, offering a fascinating anatomical explanation behind the long-held connection between ancient breathing-based meditation practices and cognitive benefits.

​Some serious cyclists have taken to using breathing strips or even stents to hold their nostrils open, in order to increase the amount of air that they're able to take in through their nose. Well, a new set of cycling glasses does the same thing, but using magnets.

​There may be new hope for people who suffer from asthma or other respiratory disorders. Scientists from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Shanghai University have developed a drug that they claim is a more effective treatment than the currently-used bronchodilator inhalers.

After patients have been under general anesthesia, they'll often require therapy in order to regain their full respiratory function. Although this typically involves using an analog device known as an inspirometer, a doctor from the Samsung Medical Center has created a more high-tech alternative.

​If you've recently stopped smoking, then you ought to start eating more tomatoes and other fruits. According to a new study from Johns Hopkins University, doing so could help slow the decline of your lung function, by reversing some of the damage caused by smoking.

North Carolina-based Pneuma Respiratory has developed what it states is the world's first fully-digital soft mist inhaler. Among other things, it's claimed to deliver medication more reliably.​

Scientists are developing a wearable early warning system for asthmatics. Consisting mainly of a wristband and chest patch, the technology monitors patients' bodies and their environment, sending an alert when an attack may be imminent.​

Researchers have 3D printed a spirometer that is not only highly mobile, but is claimed to be twice as sensitive as other available devices with the ability to detect variations in airflow from a single sneeze.