They’re squishy like sponges and stretchy like balloons. You use them every day, all day and night, too—no matter what you’re doing. And, most likely, you never even think about them.
They’re your lungs—those elastic bags with millions of tiny air pouches inside. All day long, those sacs in your chest fill and empty with the breath that feeds your body the oxygen it needs to stay alive. But, breathing isn’t the only way these two pouches help you be you.
Your lungs work to keep dust, viruses, pollutants, and other particles in the air from invading your body. They also filter the blood that passes through them, eliminating tiny clots and fat globules. And don’t forget about their role in speech; without the air your lungs exhale, you’d be silent.
