Learn about MIT TechTV and check out our resource page for media makers at MIT.

MIT TechTV is an initiative of MIT Engineering

Water boatman breathes underwater

You need Adobe Flash Player to watch videos on this site.

The water boatman uses a thin layer of air as an "external lung" allowing it to breathe underwater. New MIT research has shown that many insects' water-repellent coats trap a thin layer of air on their bodies, allowing them to store and absorb oxygen from the surrounding water. More

Video courtesy John Bush, MIT

Comments (1)

Cool! Looks like the air is trapped in the layer of tiny hairs on the shell of the insect.

Posted 10 months by Anonymous

You need to log in, in order to post comments. If you don’t have an account yet, sign up now!

MIT News Office

MIT News Office

Genre: News | Updated 19 days ago

Created
July 29, 2008 18:01
Category
Tags
License
No license (All rights reserved) (What is this?)
Formats
Flash Video (flv), mov
Additional Files


Viewed
1098 times

More from MIT News Office

The President -- at MIT

The President -- at MIT

Added 29 days ago | 00:01:17 | 495 views

Delamination of tape

Delamination of tape

Added 5 months ago | 00:00:06 | 2237 views

Towards Passive 6D Reflectance Field Displays

Towards Passive 6D Reflectance Fiel...

Added 1 year ago | 00:05:01 | 14346 views

Visually evoked responses of neurons and astrocytes at a pinwheel center

Visually evoked responses of neuron...

Added 1 year ago | 00:00:13 | 357 views

Hockfield's testimony before Congress: Full testimony

Hockfield's testimony before Congre...

Added 1 year ago | 00:08:56 | 553 views

Extreme Materials

Extreme Materials

Added 1 month ago | 00:00:00 | 5668 views