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James Mitchell <MITCHELL@od*.ee*.wi*.ac*.za*> wrote:-
> The air in [whales'] lungs is in fact compressed (equal to ambient pressure)
> and they are exposed to higher partial pressures. Spearfishermen and
> pearldivers do bend on occasion (techdiver discussed it last year I think).
> As to why whales don't bend, I would think that they have adapted to
> minimise the risk. They may even do decompression stops (built in mental
> deco-computer:).

I read that in whales' blood systems is places where blood vessels break up
into a lot of tiny blood vessels and then rejoin. These places are called
`retia mirabilia' (= "marvellous nets"); they filter out any bends bubbles.

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