How boa constrictors swallow stuff whole and don't suffocate
To squeeze a creature to death and swallow it whole, boa constrictors have evolved to breathe with different sections of their rib cage.
Stay updated with breaking news from Scott Boback. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
To squeeze a creature to death and swallow it whole, boa constrictors have evolved to breathe with different sections of their rib cage.
Humans have their eating hole in the same place as their breathing hole, which might be considered an example of poor evolutionary design. Certainly, it sometimes results in choking or trouble breathing when snack time doesn’t go as planned, but at least we’re not called upon to swallow food which is larger than our actual heads.
How do boa constrictors breathe while constricting their victims? A new study finds that snakes can switch which set of ribs they use to draw in air as they crush their meal before devouring it.
If you hold a goat in your coils and squeeze hard, can your lungs expand to breathe? No. But the solution isn’t that the snake is holding its breath
Boa constrictors can move only specific segments of their ribs, breathing with certain segments of their lung when others are constricted.