How the heart actually pumps blood - Edmond Hui

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For most of history, scientists weren’t quite sure why our hearts were beating or even what purpose they served. Eventually, we realized that these thumping organs serve the vital task of pumping clean blood throughout the body. But how? Edmond Hui investigates how it all works by taking a closer look at the heart’s highly efficient ventricle system.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Edmond Hui
  • Animator Anton Bogaty
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
Additional Resources for you to Explore
The technique of demonstrating the pumping mechanism of the heart was first shown in public in this TEDx Talk.
The detailed scientific description of the technique was published in the European journal, Science in School.
There is a beautiful app from Touch Press by Martin Clayton on Leonardo Da Vinci’s anatomical studies, explaining the difficulties he had trying to understand the heart.
This book by Thomas Wright describes the discovery of circulation by William Harvey, a hundred years after Leonardo Da Vinci. Harvey was also the first to prove that the heart is a pump, but he did it by lethal and gory demonstrations on live dogs. Many animals would have been saved if he had discovered this technique!

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Edmond Hui
  • Animator Anton Bogaty
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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