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Why do we hiccup? - John Cameron

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The longest recorded case of hiccups lasted for 68 years … and was caused by a falling hog. While that level of severity is extremely uncommon, most of us are no stranger to an occasional case of the hiccups. But what causes these ‘hics’ in the first place? John Cameron takes us into the diaphragm to find out.

Some vertebrate biologists believe that the swim bladder used by many fishes today to achieve neutral buoyancy is homologous to the human lung. What do we mean by homologous, and how could two structures with such completely different functions be related?

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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 John Cameron
  • Collaborator Ama Y Adi-Dako
  • Director Jonathan Trueblood
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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