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How the heart actually pumps blood - Edmond Hui

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TEDEd Animation

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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.

In Leonardo da Vinci’s time, nobody knew that the arteries were joined to the veins by tiny, invisible capillaries. This means that even though he studied the heart in detail, he thought that the arteries and veins were dead ends. Why did this make it difficult for him to understand how the heart worked?

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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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