Page 80 - The Miracle in the Mosquito
P. 80

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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