Page 80 - The Miracle in the Mosquito

THE MIRACLE IN THE MOSQUITO

pacity for the use of oxygen.
In the human body, oxygen from the
lungs is taken into the blood whereby it is
carried to the body cells. The reason a person
gets tired when running is that the necessary
oxygen is not carried to the cells in time.
Another reason is the appearance of lactic
acid in the cells of the muscles. If the cells
cannot get rid of this acid, a feeling of fatigue
ensues.
This situation is somewhat different for
mosquitoes. In order to beat their wings,
which are nearly the size of their bodies, 500
times a second, the mosquito needs a great
deal of oxygen.
Accordingly, the mosquito’s respiratory
system is created specifically to meet this re-
quirement. The respiratory system consists of
a respiratory tube that reaches almost every
cell. As this tube makes direct contact with
the outside air, the cells are able to get oxygen
without an intermediary substance. And
waste substances can also be passed from the
cells into the atmosphere by means of these
tubes. This is how the mosquito manages to
flap its wings thousands of times a minute
without tiring.
The fact that the mosquito can beat its
wings so rapidly gives it many advantages in
flying. It can fly up and down vertically, and
can move forwards and backwards with ease.
The mosquito is like a perfect machine that

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