Lungs are the vital parts of our body that transport oxygen from the air we breathe into our bloodstream. The lungs consist of a complex network of tubes that lies on both the sides of the heart. The tubes are enclosed inside the chest cavity comprising a framework of elastic fibers. The lungs also clean the bloodstream by taking away carbon dioxide gas created as a byproduct.

Some of the interesting facts about the lungs are:

Fact 1: The lungs are the largest internal body parts about the size of two footballs. The right lung is slightly larger than the left one.

Fact 2: Human beings breathe about 22,000 times per day, breathing in 2100 to 2400 gallons of air each day.

Fact 3: The lung on the left side is branched into two lobes whereas the lung on the right side is divided into three lobes.

Fact 4: The lungs always hold about one liter of air irrespective of the breathing pattern.

Fact 5: The lungs consists of approximately 600 million tiny sacs called alveoli.

Fact 6: In medical terminology, the study of lung-related diseases is known as pulmonology.

Fact 7: The lungs can be affected by several diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, cancer, tuberculosis, bronchitis, emphysema, etc. Asthma is a lung disease which is caused due to a narrowing of the airways making it difficult to breathe air. Pneumonia is also a serious lung condition which affects the lungs and makes it harder to absorb oxygen from the air.

Fact 8: Cigarette smoking can cause lung cancer.

Fact 9: If the air tubes inside the lungs could be connected end to end, they would stretch approximately about 50 km.

Fact 10: It is possible to increase the capacity of the lungs through regular exercises. A larger lung capacity facilitates better oxygen transportation in the body.