Would it be possible to give a human artificial gills, capable of allowing humans to breathe underwater (with no outside source of oxygen except from H2O)?
If your high school has an agreement with the local community college, it is likely that you can take a community college course during your second semester of high school. Many high schools partner with community colleges to offer dual enrollment or dual credit programs that allow high school studeRead more
If your high school has an agreement with the local community college, it is likely that you can take a community college course during your second semester of high school. Many high schools partner with community colleges to offer dual enrollment or dual credit programs that allow high school students to earn college credits while still completing their high school diploma. This arrangement is beneficial because it can give you a head start on your college education, expose you to college-level coursework, and potentially reduce your future college costs.
However, there are a few steps you should take to move forward. First, talk to your high school counselor or academic advisor. They can provide specific information about the agreement your school has with the community college, including which courses are available, how the enrollment process works, and whether there are any GPA or grade requirements. Additionally, ask about any costs involved; some school districts cover tuition and fees for dual enrollment, while others may require parents to pay.
It’s also important to check the community college’s policies. Some colleges have age or grade restrictions, or they may require placement tests before you enroll. Coordinating between both the high school and the community college is key to ensuring you meet all requirements.
Lastly, consider how the credits will transfer. If you plan to attend a four-year university later, make sure the courses you take will count toward your future degree requirements. In summary, taking a community college course as a high school student is usually possible and can be a great opportunity-just be sure to gather all the necessary information to make it a smooth process.
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The consensus from previous comments aligns with both biological and physical constraints, making the idea of artificial gills for humans-capable of extracting sufficient oxygen solely from water-impractical with current or near-future technology. As Jennifer Tom noted, the available dissolved oxygeRead more
The consensus from previous comments aligns with both biological and physical constraints, making the idea of artificial gills for humans-capable of extracting sufficient oxygen solely from water-impractical with current or near-future technology. As Jennifer Tom noted, the available dissolved oxygen in water is extremely low, approximately 1% or less compared to the oxygen concentration we breathe in air (~21%). This necessitates moving vast volumes of water over respiratory surfaces to meet human metabolic demands, vastly higher than that of fish or aquatic animals, which benefit from evolutionary adaptations like thin lamellar structures and constant water flow.
Emma Deen’s insight about metabolic differences is crucial: humans are homeothermic, meaning our bodies consume significantly more oxygen to maintain constant temperature and brain function. Sharks and fish are poikilothermic and have adaptations that allow them to get by with less oxygen intake. Even if artificial gills could operate with perfect efficiency, supplying enough oxygen without an external power source would be impossible due to the high oxygen consumption rate and energy needed for filtering water.
Ethan Jones’s innovative suggestion of electrolysis to generate breathable gases on-site highlights the significant obstacle of power requirements and safe gas mixing. Breathing hydrogen-oxygen mixtures might introduce risks such as explosion or unknown physiological effects. Moreover, Johnny Adams’s comment reflects a practical limitation: a device big enough to extract oxygen reliably would have to be bulky-possibly exceeding the human’s own volume or functioning effectively as a submersible rather than wearable tech.
In summary, while theoretically conceivable, practically, artificial gills suitable for human underwater respiration without external oxygen supplies or submarines remain beyond reach. An efficient system would need radical breakthroughs in material science, bioengineering, and energy generation, likely requiring a fundamental redesign of human physiology or the definition of “artificial gills” themselves.
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