Surfactant is essential for the exchange of gases in lungs and helps in the prevention of lung collapse when the baby exhales. (newkidscenter.com)
During 48 dives in August 2011, each lasting an average of 6 minutes and reaching more than 300 meters deep, the sea lion's lungs collapsed at about 225 meters down — and then re-expanded at the same depth during the mammal's ascent. (sciencemag.org)
So scientists used the data logger to keep track of the partial pressure of oxygen in the sea lion's arterial bloodstream — a proxy to detect lung collapse — throughout her dives. (sciencemag.org)